Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs

Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs
Campaigners, MPs and Taxpayers' Alliance agree large companies are exploiting loopholes in international tax regimes

Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs
Google, Amazon and Starbucks will face aggressive and detailed questioning by MPs on Monday over their decision to base their European businesses outside the UK to avoid paying full UK tax.

Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs
Responding to a growing public anger over corporate tax avoidance and heightened by high-profile government cuts to public services, the public accounts select committee will be asking Google, Amazon and Starbucks to explain structures such as Ireland- and Luxembourg-registered offices which incur lower tax rates, and also how they charge their own subsidiary companies for services, a practice known as transfer pricing.

Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs
The session begins at 3.15pm, with Google UK chief executive Matt Brittin and Amazon public policy director Andrew Cecil due to appear. Starbucks chief financial officer Troy Alstead and UK managing director Kris Engskov will also give evidence.

Google, Amazon and Starbucks face questions on tax avoidance from MPs
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Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review

Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review
Government raises prospect of fresh legislation as entertainment groups accuse internet giant of dragging its feet.

The government is to review Google's pledge to downgrade illegal filesharing websites in its search results, after entertainment groups accused the internet giant of dragging its feet over the issue.

Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review

Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review

Now the department for culture, media and sport (DCMS) says it will examine the technical changes promised by Google in August, when itpledged to relegate sites that persistently flout copyright laws.
Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review.
A spokesman for the DCMS said the government would "consider our options" following the review, raising the prospect of fresh legislation that would force Google to downgrade pirated material in search results.

Google pledge to downgrade piracy sites under review

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Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year

Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year

US-based consumer electronics giant paid just $713m in overseas corporation tax on profits of $36.87bn

Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year

Apple paid less than 2% tax on profit made outside the United States last year.
Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year
The iPhone and iPad maker paid $713m (£445m) in overseas corporation tax on foreign profits of $36.87bn (£23bn) in the year to the end of September. That translates as a tax rate of 1.9%, compared to a headline corporation tax rate of 35% in the US and 24% in the UK.
Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year
The details were revealed in Apple's 10K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Apple has not broken any laws by arranging its tax payments this way, but it is likely to reignite debate about the astonishingly small amount of tax US multinationals pay in the UK.
Apple paid less than 2% tax on overseas profits last year

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Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval

Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval
Google is working on a downloadable maps app but insiders don't have high hopes that it will be approved by Apple

Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval

Those hoping to see Google Maps return to the iPhone might not want to hold their breath.
Sources at Google familiar with its mapping plans say they are "not optimistic" that Apple will ever approve a dedicated Google Maps iOS app. Though the app is reportedly in development and should be ready to ship by the end of the year, the sources say their plans are only proceeding in "the unlikely event" that Apple will choose to approve the app.Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval
Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval
Although any user can bookmark a page on the Safari browser linking to maps.google.com, many have been hoping that Apple will allow Google Maps back on the iPhone as a dedicated third-party app via the App Store. But there are doubts among some circles inside Google that such an app, when completed, would be approved by Apple.
Google sources think maps app might struggle for Apple approval

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