If you are looking for expert comment on UK Government plans for a new criminal offence for tax evasion Crawford Spence, of Warwick Business School, is Professor of Accounting.

Professor Crawford Spence said: "It is about time that governments started to take tax evasion more seriously. Tax evasion is much more harmful to the economy than welfare fraud, yet the latter is pursued much more vigorously. Let's hope this is more than just posturing by the UK Government before an election.

"Even if the rest of the world does not follow suit I think it would still work; people and companies are not as footloose or mobile as some commentators like to make out.

"We have had to rely on computer hackers, investigative journalists and corporate whistleblowers to expose tax evasion. HMRC should be doing this as a matter of course, but let's hope this gives them the powers, political will and resources to now do this."

To interview Crawford Spence contact:

Email: Crawford.Spence@wbs.ac.uk