Google has denied that it was given special treatment by British tax authorities when it reached a £130m settlement with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to pay back-taxes.

UK Business Secretary Sajid Javid admitted that the deal "wasn't a glorious moment" - and said that he shares the "sense of unfairness," felt by smaller businesses who cannot use the same tools as multinational corporations to reduce their tax liabilities.

He added that "work needs to be done" to make sure that companies pay their fair share.

Peter Barron, Google's UK head of communications defended the company's tax payments.

"It's not a sweetheart deal, it's a settlement with HMRC," he told the BBC.

"Government puts the laws in place, HMRC enforces the laws and we follow the laws. If the laws change, of course, we would follow them," he continued.

Much of the revenue generated by Google in the UK is routed through the company's Dublin office, reducing its tax bill.

The deal reached in the UK has been criticised by many politicians who believe that it was too lenient on the company.

Google is dealing with similar issues in France and Italy, both of these countries are seeking significantly higher payouts from the company.