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| Google tax avoidance: European president tells MPs he doesn't know how much he's paid | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A top Google boss giving evidence to MPs about the company’s tax deal has admitted he doesn’t know how much he gets paid. | A top Google boss giving evidence to MPs about the company’s tax deal has admitted he doesn’t know how much he gets paid. |
| Matt Brittin, the President of Google’s European, Middle Eastern and African arm, told the Public Accounts Committee that he was not sure what his basic salary even was. | Matt Brittin, the President of Google’s European, Middle Eastern and African arm, told the Public Accounts Committee that he was not sure what his basic salary even was. |
| Asked five times to clarify, the technology giant boss said he would look the amount up after the session – apparently unable to provide even a “ballpark figure”. | Asked five times to clarify, the technology giant boss said he would look the amount up after the session – apparently unable to provide even a “ballpark figure”. |
| He was accused by MPs living in “another world” to ordinary voters, who chair and Labour MP Meg Hillier told him were angry. | He was accused by MPs living in “another world” to ordinary voters, who chair and Labour MP Meg Hillier told him were angry. |
| The Public Accounts Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into a tax settlement announced between Google and HMRC. | The Public Accounts Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into a tax settlement announced between Google and HMRC. |
| Mr Brittin said he understood the public reaction to the company’s deal, but Ms Hillier questioned whether this was in fact true. | Mr Brittin said he understood the public reaction to the company’s deal, but Ms Hillier questioned whether this was in fact true. |
| “Do you understand the anger? What do you get paid Mr Brittin?” she said. | “Do you understand the anger? What do you get paid Mr Brittin?” she said. |
| He replied: “If that’s relevant I’ll happily disclose that to the committee. What I understand is…” | He replied: “If that’s relevant I’ll happily disclose that to the committee. What I understand is…” |
| The MP interrupted and pressed the point home, however: “I’m asking what you get paid,” she said. | The MP interrupted and pressed the point home, however: “I’m asking what you get paid,” she said. |
| “I’ll happily disclose that if that’s a relevant matter for the committee in private,” he responded. | “I’ll happily disclose that if that’s a relevant matter for the committee in private,” he responded. |
| But the MP clarified: “I’m asking you, so it’s a relevant matter.” | But the MP clarified: “I’m asking you, so it’s a relevant matter.” |
| “I don’t have the figure but I’ll happily provide it,” he replied. | “I don’t have the figure but I’ll happily provide it,” he replied. |
| She countered: “You don’t know what you get paid, Mr Brittin? Perhaps you could give us a ballpark on what you get paid? Forget the share options, what’s your basic salary?” | She countered: “You don’t know what you get paid, Mr Brittin? Perhaps you could give us a ballpark on what you get paid? Forget the share options, what’s your basic salary?” |
| The executive could not give a ballpark figure, however, describing it only as “a salary”. | The executive could not give a ballpark figure, however, describing it only as “a salary”. |
| “It’s a salary … I don’t have the figure but I’ll provide the figure privately, if it’s relevant to the committee to understand my salary.” | “It’s a salary … I don’t have the figure but I’ll provide the figure privately, if it’s relevant to the committee to understand my salary.” |
| Ms Hillier concluded: “You don’t know what you get paid, ok. Out there taxpayers, our constituents, are very angry. They live in a different world, clearly, if you can’t even tell us what you’re actually paid.” | Ms Hillier concluded: “You don’t know what you get paid, ok. Out there taxpayers, our constituents, are very angry. They live in a different world, clearly, if you can’t even tell us what you’re actually paid.” |
| Google announced a £130m tax deal with HMRC last month after years of criticism over its tax bill. | Google announced a £130m tax deal with HMRC last month after years of criticism over its tax bill. |
| The deal was criticised as too low by some opposition politiicans, with shadow chancellor John McDonnell saying the sum was “trivial” and “derisory”. for the tech giant. | The deal was criticised as too low by some opposition politiicans, with shadow chancellor John McDonnell saying the sum was “trivial” and “derisory”. for the tech giant. |