MPs in parliament’s finance committee will not be given a confidential briefing on the deal made between the Dutch tax office and Swedish furniture group Ikea, tax minister Erik Wiebes confirmed on Wednesday evening.

Although MPs technically have the right to the information, Wiebes turned down the request, saying the confidentiality aspects are more important than MPs’ right to to know.

According to some reports, EU governments are missing out on up to €1bn in taxes because of Ikea’s tax reduction tactics.

MPs were earlier given information about the agreement struck between the Dutch tax office and American coffee chain Starbucks. Wiebes said in his letter to MPs the Starbucks insight was an exception and that the two cases are not comparable.