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Written question asked by Steve Barclay (Conservative) on Tuesday, 2 December 2014, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 5 December 2014 (named day). It was answered by Priti Patel (Conservative) on Friday, 5 December 2014 on behalf of the Treasury.

Revenue and Customs

Question

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many members of staff at HM Revenue and Customs are involved in regulating and analysing company formation agencies in the UK.

Answer

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for supervising the activities of some 2,600 businesses in the trust and company service providers sector under the Money Laundering Regulations, some of which undertake company formation activity on behalf of clients. Company formation is also carried out directly by Companies House, as well as by others such as lawyers and accountants that are not supervised by HMRC for the purposes of the Money Laundering Regulations.

The staff employed in supervisory, intelligence and prosecutory functions are contained within a variety of lines of business in HMRC. As such the number of staff and budget dedicated specifically to company formation agents is variable and cannot be identified.

There is a range of scenarios in which HMRC actions might result in a company formation agency stopping such activity, hence the information requested is not readily available.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
216810
Session
2014-15
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Staff Revenue and Customs
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk