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 The 130 million pound ($185 million) settlement, announced on
Friday, was hailed by the UK government as a major success but
dismissed as "derisory" by the opposition Labour Party and
criticized by other parties.
The European Commission itself took aim on Thursday at tax avoidance
by multinationals, proposing that EU states be allowed to tax
corporate profits at home in some circumstances even if the money
has been transferred elsewhere to avoid such payments.
"Specifically concerning Google's tax treatment in the UK, the
Commission can confirm it has received a letter from a member of the
Scottish National Party on this matter," the EU's competition
enforcer said in an email.
"The Commission will look at it and issues raised, as with all
letters received from stakeholders."
The letter calling for a probe was sent by SNP deputy leader Stewart
Hosie.
Talking to Sky News, he said it was important "proper investigations
are carried out and she (European Competition Commissioner Margrethe
Vestager) can either give them a clean bill of health or not."
Earlier on Thursday, Vestager had told BBC radio she would examine
Google's tax deal if she received a complaint.
"If we find that there is something to be concerned about. If
someone writes to us and says 'well maybe this is not as it should
be' then we will take a look," she said.
Google says it is paying all the tax that is due.
"After a six-year audit we are paying the full amount of tax that HM
Revenue & Customs (HMRC) agrees we should pay, including 130 million
pounds in additional back tax," Peter Barron, Google's vice
president for communications and public affairs, said in a letter to
the Financial Times.
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"Governments make tax law, the tax authorities independently enforce
the law, and Google complies with the law," he said in the letter.
Tax avoidance has become a hot political issue in Britain, where
people question whether the burden of fixing the public finances has
been fairly shared.
"The point we would make is that HMRC have been very clear that they
have collected all tax that is due," said a spokesman for British
Prime Minister David Cameron.
He said the UK would cooperate if an inquiry were launched.
(Reporting by James Davey in London and Foo Yun Chee in Brussels,
additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Guy
Faulconbridge and Catherine Evans)
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