Prem Sikka has been writing on the Guardian blog. In a feature with the above title he says:

In the UK, successive governments have shown little interest in mounting an investigation into the role of banks in tax avoidance though some banks have been persuaded to inform authorities of the offshore accounts held by private individuals. No questions have been asked about how banks avoid their taxes and how they lubricate the giant and destructive tax avoidance industry.

When asked "if he will commission research on the levels of use of offshore tax havens by UK banks and the economic effects of that use," the chancellor of the exchequer replied:

There are no plans to commission research on the levels of use of offshore tax havens by UK banks and the economic effects of that use.

Why not? That's what I want to know.

So does Prem.