Posted on 2016-10-17 | 06:10

Roger strongly criticised Cadbury’s failure to pay any corporation tax in the most recent tax year, following the previous year in which the company also made no corporation tax contribution to the UK.

Cadbury, a chocolate company with a long history in Birmingham, is now owned by the UK branch of international conglomerate Mondelez. This year the company made profits of £177 million, but did not pay a single pound in corporation tax.

Commented Roger: “It is a disgrace that a foreign-owned multinational corporation can make such huge profits in the UK while avoiding paying corporation tax or making any contribution to public finances. They may argue that they pay business rates and create jobs, but by not paying corporation tax they are depriving the Treasury—and ordinary, tax-paying members of the public—of essential public funds.

“Cadbury’s benefit from public spending, from the roads on which their lorries drive to make deliveries, to the health service and schools which provide them with educated, healthy employees. Much smaller companies with much lower profits than Cadbury’s must pay their fair share. Why should Cadbury get a free ride at the expense of UK citizens?”

Last year, the company made £96.5 million in profit but also failed to pay corporation tax. Roger tabled an Early Day Motion criticising this, which you can read here.