UK-MALAWI TAX TREATY

That this House welcomes the renewed focus from the Government and the government of Malawi to renegotiate the double taxation treaty between the UK and Malawi, and the UK Financial Secretary to the Treasury's statement that the new treaty is close to conclusion; notes with concern that the existing treaty was signed in 1955 while Malawi was under colonial rule, and that analysis from ActionAid suggests that it limits tax revenue collection in Malawi; further notes that ActionAid's new report, Mistreated, finds that tax treaties signed by lower-income countries with OECD countries since 1970 are increasingly restricting the former's tax rights and reducing their ability to raise tax revenue; calls on the Government to demonstrate its global leadership on tax and international development issues by breaking this trend and offering a significantly fairer treaty to Malawi, which helps the government of Malawi to raise tax revenues to fight poverty; and further calls on the Government to ensure the negotiation process is transparent, involves the Department for International Development and other stakeholders concerned with poverty in Malawi, and allows for thorough parliamentary scrutiny and debate of any new treaty.