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Written question asked by Viscount Thurso (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 17 July 2018, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 31 July 2018. It was answered by Lord Bates (Conservative) on Tuesday, 31 July 2018 on behalf of the Treasury.

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether HMRC is able to access UK citizens' bank accounts and other personal data without their permission and without judicial oversight.

Answer

Under longstanding powers HMRC can require banks and building societies to provide data on interest paid to, or collected on behalf of, their customers, without the customer’s permission or judicial approval.

With the approval of the taxpayer or the First Tier Tribunal, HMRC can require additional information from banks about a specific taxpayer that is reasonably required to check the taxpayer’s tax position. These data and information gathering powers, some of which have been in continual use since their introduction at the end of the eighteenth century, are regularly reviewed.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL9622
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Data protection Bank services Revenue and Customs
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk