HMRC has been feeling the heat recently wrt negative publicity over their handling of a number of issues (eg tax deals with Vodafone, Goldman Sachs and losing the Harry Redknapp trial.
Therefore HMRC has decided to sharpen up its act and, in a joint venture with Manchester Metropolitan University, send some of its staff to university (or rather training centres across the UK) to study for a degree.
The part time course for a degree in tax is expected to yield £2M to £3M in extra tax revenues per graduate over four years.
How on earth do they come up with that figure?
Anyhoo, the staff studying for the degree (expected to total around 400-500) will not have to pay for it (unlike other university students).
Students will also be able to study tax courses up to the equivalent of A-level or a Higher National Certificate, accredited by the Association of Accounting Technicians.
Dave Hartnett, HMRC Permanent Secretary for Tax, said:
“We know we have great people doing great work that deserves to be recognised. We want to be seen as a leader in tax, both in the UK and internationally, and the launch of the Tax Academy is a really important step towards that goal.”Does anyone know how the figures of £2M-£3M have been derived/calculated, or what grades of staff will be allowed to study for the degree?
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And whats to stop these newly graduated staff from resigning HMRC for a better paid job in the public sector after being being trained at the publics expense...another load of bollox being spewed by these out of touch idiots.
ReplyDeleteStop talking bollocks. Companies sponsor degrees all the time. It's just that you don't like it Ken.
ReplyDeleteTo the contrary, where in the above do I say or imply that I don't like the idea?
DeleteI have though asked two relevant questions:
1 How does HMRC come up with the £2M-£3M figure?
2 What grades are allowed to study for it?
HMRC staff don't need degrees, they need better management.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry folks. Just like every other half arsed HMRC initiative, these won't be proper degrees. They'll be just the same as when they tried to do other qualifications on the cheap. Useless, and unsellable to outside employers. What, you actually thought they were going to pay for qualifications which staff could use to get proper jobs?????
ReplyDeleteIt's unlikely to be grade dependant. I expect being in a "tax professional" role will be a requirement. Most likely new ITSC/TPDP trainees, which will become grade 7s, but I fail to see how that will be benefit to them. They would already have a degree to get on the graduate scheme and a second undergraduate degree in tax sounds like a bit of a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteIt is exactly the same graduate trainee course as before but someone had the rather odd idea of getting it accredited as a degree by MMU. Colleagues currently on the scheme including Oxbridge graduates and those with Firsts from Russell Group don't particularly need or want another degree but they are getting it anyway. Most would have preferred some sort of professional qualification or just have been happy with their advancement to grade 7 - especially after a 3 year pay freeze. There are always vacancies for trained Grade 7 Tax Inspectors on the dark side; this should not make any difference.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to HMIT's? better qualification - same promises of promotion etc.. by the way these don't materialise, unless you lose your own thought process, morals and integrity and become one of the yes men.
ReplyDeleteFully trained HM Inspectors of Taxes are Grade 7s who have done the 4 year training course (currently 9 or 10 sets of exams - pass mark 70%, drop out rate estimated at 25%); some offices still call them "Inspectors" and some "Compliance Officers".
ReplyDeleteThere are also Inspectors at Higher Officer grade or above who do a two year training course. I think the qualifications now are different in that they are modular and not just one massive exam at the end. Trainees are also assessed on case work, and various skill sets as they go along.
You don't lose your own thought process, morals or integrity. There are some idiotic ideas that come from on high but in general most Inspectors are highly competent and upstanding people.