Monday 14 November 2011

A Slurry of Consultations



The government and HMRC are keen to show everyone that they are very busy bees, and most certainly do not want to try to overload taxpayers with a deluge of consultations that ensures poorly drafted legislation and procedures are pushed through without proper consideration.

To this end the Exchequer Secretary, David Gauke, proudly announced a number of consultations that have arrived (much like a long awaited bus) all at once.

Consultation number one sets out the Government’s vision for a more transparent, open, and easier to understand personal tax system. Modernising the Administration of the Personal Tax System sets out a range of ideas how people can more easily access information on their personal taxes. 

The Government wants taxpayers, representative bodies, and tax professionals to give their views on:
  • what taxpayers know about the tax they pay;
  • what areas of the personal tax system create the most difficulty;
  • how technology can help them better access and understand their tax position; and
  • how we can engage with individual taxpayers in hearing their views on how the tax system could be modernised.

Additionally, the Government also published a paper setting out the next steps in its work on looking at the options to integrate the operation of income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs). The Government is establishing technical working groups to identify and explore options over the coming months, and is looking for employers, tax and payroll professionals to join these groups.

Finally, just in case the above two papers didn't quite hit the mark, the government also published draft regulations for the introduction of Real Time Information.

Good luck with getting through that lot then!



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2 comments:

  1. Trust me, this won't be an open invitation. They will have already pre-selected the 'key stakeholders' they wish to 'consult' with right at the end of their consultation exercises - and it will be their mates in big business.

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  2. 15 November 2011 15:33
    I agree. The average TP who this should be aimed at won't get a say. It will be the usual group of agents who have no interest in making filing returns easier, who will be 'consulted' - probably over breakfast/lunch/ weekend breaks with Jack & co.

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