Government urged to make tax more transparent

Christian Aid and Church Action on Poverty have called upon the Government to clamp down on tax dodging.

The two organisations this week delivered thousands of 'Tick for Tax Justice' postcards to 10 Downing Street from supporters backing their call.

Tax evasion has become a focal point for CAP and Christian Aid who warn it deprives developing countries of the valuable resources they need to effectively address poverty.

In a letter to David Cameron delivered with the postcards, Christian Aid director Loretta Minghella and CAP director Niall Cooper highlight estimates from the OECD putting the loss resulting from tax dodging at three times the global aid budget each year.

A recent ComRes poll commissioned by Christian Aid found that over half of UK adults (56%) felt that tax avoidance was morally wrong, while three quarters said that the Prime Minister must demand international action to tackle the legal loopholes that make tax avoidance possible.

"In difficult economic times, it is more important than ever to close loopholes and enhance transparency to ensurerevenue lost from tax dodging can be invested to improve people’s lives," the letter read.

CAP and Christian Aid went on to call upon Mr Cameron to use the presidency of the G8 next year to make fundamental changes to the global tax system.

They said: "As you announced that you will be convening a Hunger Summit next year, we encourage you to put the issue of tax at the center of this agenda.

"Poor countries can stand up in their own two feet and solve hunger and malnutrition by themselves and in the long-term not rely on aid."