JEREMY Corbyn has called on Theresa May to launch a Whitehall investigation into allegations of VAT avoidance linked to the import of almost 1,000 business jets to the UK as he denounced the “scourge of aggressive tax avoidance and evasion”.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, the Labour leader told MPs that 957 business jets imported through the Isle of Man "seems a bit excessive for any island anywhere", stressing he hoped the due tax was collected from those trying to avoid it.

He said: "In 2010, the Labour government intervened through HMRC to shut down an Isle of Man scheme used to import yachts into the European Union and thus avoid tax.

"A similar scheme has recently been exposed relating to the import of business jets into the Isle of Man. So can the Prime Minister assure the House that HMRC investigates these new allegations diligently?"

Mrs May assured Mr Corbyn that HMRC took "seriously" allegations of tax avoidance, which were referred to it.

"We've secured almost £160 billion in additional compliance revenues since 2010 through a number of measures that we have taken to ensure we clamp down on tax evasion and avoidance."

Noting how 957 business jets in the Isle of Man appeared “a bit excessive for any island anywhere,” Mr Corbyn said estimates of the scale of tax-dodging in Britain ranged from £34bn, which, he noted, was around the size of England’s schools budget, to £119bn, which was the size of the NHS budget south of the border.

"The Isle of Man VAT avoidance allegations are part of a wider leak from the Bermuda-based law firm; said to be on a similar scale to the Panama Papers.

"Will the Prime Minister commit HMRC to fully investigate all evidence of UK tax avoidance and evasion from this leak and prosecute where feasible?" asked the Labour leader.

Mrs May insisted she had already provided an assurance that HMRC did investigate and took action on such matters as she defended the U.K. Government's record.

Later, Mr Corbyn asked Mrs May to assure MPs that HMRC would get more resources to "tackle the scourge of aggressive tax avoidance and evasion" rather than suffer more cuts in this month's Budget.

The PM said she had reassured Labour that HMRC had been acting and would continue to act before accusing the Opposition of blocking anti-tax avoidance and evasion measures shortly before the General Election.

MPs approved a slimmed-down Budget in April in a bid to ensure tax and spending measures were in place before Parliament stopped for the election.

The Labour leader asked the PM to "change the rules" in the Budget to generate more cash for public services, before claiming the amount of tax paid by the "super-rich" had fallen from £4.4bn to £3.5bn since 2009.

He was heckled by Tory MPs as he added: "Our schools’ budgets are being cut, more people are waiting longer for treatment on the National Health Service, more elderly and disabled not getting the social care they need.

"Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable that when it comes to paying taxes there's one rule for the super-rich and another for the rest of us?" He asked.

Mrs May pointed out how the top one per cent of earners in the UK paid 28 per cent of the tax burden, which was the highest percentage ever under any government.

She insisted Mr Corbyn was "wrong" over schools’ funding, saying £2.5bn extra would be put into the system in England over the next two years.

The PM added: "He talks about spending on schools and hospitals. I'll tell him where the real problem lies: today we spend nearly £50bn in payments on interest to those we have borrowed from - as a result of the legacy of the Labour Party."