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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| MPs challenge Google over UK tax reporting | MPs challenge Google over UK tax reporting |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The internet giant Google has been challenged by MPs over the way it reports its income for tax. | The internet giant Google has been challenged by MPs over the way it reports its income for tax. |
| The chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge, said whistleblowers had told her that Google had sold advertising within the UK and invoiced customers in the UK. | The chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge, said whistleblowers had told her that Google had sold advertising within the UK and invoiced customers in the UK. |
| Google had earlier said that UK customers paid Google in Ireland. | Google had earlier said that UK customers paid Google in Ireland. |
| "No one in the UK can execute transactions," said Google's head of sales in Northern Europe, Matt Brittin. | "No one in the UK can execute transactions," said Google's head of sales in Northern Europe, Matt Brittin. |
| "No money changes hands," he said, despite the fact that he employed sales staff in Britain. | "No money changes hands," he said, despite the fact that he employed sales staff in Britain. |
| But Ms Hodge said: "It was quite clear from all that documentation that the entire trading process and sales process took place in the UK." | But Ms Hodge said: "It was quite clear from all that documentation that the entire trading process and sales process took place in the UK." |
| She read from the official guide to parliamentary procedure, Erskine May: "A person prevaricating or giving false evidence can be considered to be in contempt of the House." | She read from the official guide to parliamentary procedure, Erskine May: "A person prevaricating or giving false evidence can be considered to be in contempt of the House." |
| And she said: "We will continue to have whistleblowers until we get to the bottom of the truth about all this." | And she said: "We will continue to have whistleblowers until we get to the bottom of the truth about all this." |
| Google's sales in the UK are worth £3.2bn, but most are routed through Dublin. In 2011 it paid £6m in UK corporation tax. | Google's sales in the UK are worth £3.2bn, but most are routed through Dublin. In 2011 it paid £6m in UK corporation tax. |
| Google is one of several multinational companies that have been strongly criticised in recent months for organising their tax affairs in ways that minimise the amounts they pay in the UK. | |
| European headquarters | European headquarters |
| Mr Brittin maintained that any advertiser in Europe would deal directly with Google in Dublin, which employs some 3,000 staff. | Mr Brittin maintained that any advertiser in Europe would deal directly with Google in Dublin, which employs some 3,000 staff. |
| "When we came to Europe, we set up Dublin as our European headquarters," said Mr Brittin | "When we came to Europe, we set up Dublin as our European headquarters," said Mr Brittin |
| "We wanted to be able to contract with customers across the whole of Europe, not just the UK. | "We wanted to be able to contract with customers across the whole of Europe, not just the UK. |
| "Any customer that spends with us, they have to buy from Ireland, because that's where the intellectual property sits." | "Any customer that spends with us, they have to buy from Ireland, because that's where the intellectual property sits." |