BANKS have been disclosing local residents’ details to HM Revenue and Customs, even though they might not be subject to UK tax, a report has revealed. Data protection commissioner Dr Peter Harris (pictured) received 29 complaints about the matter in 2007. They were passed on to the UK.

‘An investigation revealed that the disclosures had not been made by locally based banks, but by their UK partners which had been processing certain aspects of the information relating to accounts held offshore,’ said Dr Harris in his annual report.

HMRC obtained warrants requiring the disclosure by UK banks of any information they held relating to the banking details of offshore account holders. Dr Harris said the UK banks had appealed against the orders, but the appeals were rejected because the information was required to recover substantial amounts of tax from individuals resident in the UK who held accounts offshore.