Watch the moment a student asks David Cameron about his ‘personal experience of tax avoidance’

'What do you think the collective states of the EU should be doing to combat tax avoidance?'

An Exeter University student asked David Cameron what should be done by the EU to combat tax avoidance, something, the questioner claimed, he had "some personal experience of".

It comes after a torrid week for the Prime Minister who has faced a number of questions over his family’s tax affairs – specifically, his late father, Ian Cameron, who it was revealed through the leaked Panama Papers had been the director of an offshore fund.

Mr Cameron made his comments as he took questions from students in Devon, who grilled the PM on range of subjects including the Tata Steel crisis, Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation, tuition fees and the government’s decision to spend £9m of taxpayers’ money on a pro-EU leaflet ahead of the referendum.

One student prompted laughter when he asked the Prime Minister “what do you think the collective states of the EU should be doing to combat tax avoidance – which is obviously something you’ve got some personal experience of”.

Mr Cameron responded to the rally of young people in Devon, saying there is need for action on the world stage to tackle tax avoidance. He said: “I think it’s absolutely vital at the EU level but also that’s not enough, we have to internationally as well. That’s why when I was chair of the G8 meeting in Northern Ireland I made tax and transparency the number one issue.

“Since then Britain is going to be the first country in the world to have totally open public register of beneficial ownership so you can see who owns what company and we’ve also got other countries to sign up to that process.”

“We’ve also got countries to exchange tax information,” he added.

The Prime Minister did not allow the press to ask any questions after the speech in Devon.