Transparency International UK today welcomed the statement¹ by David Cameron as he called on fellow governments to "break through the walls of corporate secrecy" by making companies’ beneficial ownership information public.

26 April 2013 - "The UK Government has grasped the fact that secrecy about corporate ownership enables corruption to go undetected and unpunished.' said Robert Barrington Executive Director. 'This has a severe effect on the citizens of countries that our overseas development assistance is at the same time trying to help.

"It has become too easy for those who wish to hide stolen assets to disguise them amongst complex corporate structures in off-shore jurisdictions. We need to know who owns companies, how much tax they pay, and where they pay it. Transparency International welcomes the Prime Minister's statement as a very important step in the right direction."

Note to editors
1. The Prime Minister’s letter to the EU on tax evasion and aggresive avoidance can be found on the Downing Street website here