Commissioner of Income Tax publishes names of tax debtors

Over half a million pounds is owed in corporate and personal tax by entities and individuals, who have been named in Wednesday's Gazette.

The last time the Tax Office named tax defaulters was in 2017.

 In an unusual name and shame move, not seen in 8 years, the Commissioner of Income Tax has exercised his statutory power to publish a list of tax defaulters.

In his report, the Principal Auditor had highlighted the provision under the Income Tax Act for the publication of details for failure to pay tax.  He'd added the Central Arrears Unit had not favoured its use but argued it yielded positive results.

Speaking in Parliament, during a debate on the Principal Auditor's report in December, the Minister for Trade and Industry said the Government supported the use of these statutory powers to protect Gibraltar's macro economic interests, as a matter of policy. 

Nigel Feetham had then announced the publication of the names of tax defaulters was imminent.

Over £167,000 is owed in corporate tax, £228,000 in PAYE and over £163,000 in personal tax.

It's the first time in eight years this approach to recovering tax has been taken. 

Chairman of the Association of Tax Advisors Grahame Jackson spoke to Shelina Assomull.