My sympathies to Lin Homer (recently appointed CEO of HMRC) who must have thought that she had left the muck and mire of her previous role as CEO of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) behind her.
Unfortunately, for her, the Banquo's ghost of the UKBA is not so easily banished.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has estimated that around one in six of student visas granted (approximately 50,000) went to workers whose intention was to take jobs.
The NAO has also criticised the UK Border Agency for failing to remove from the UK an estimated 160,000 migrants whose visas have expired.
These fresh blows to the "reputation" of the UKBA (and by inference those who ran it - take a bow Lin) come on top of previous revelations about the incompetence of the UKBA (eg the 500,000 passengers who were allowed into Britain on Eurostar trains without checks against the database of known terrorists and criminals).
Margaret Hodge (Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee) is less than impressed, and has stated that she is "shocked" by the report.
This doesn't bode well for Lin Homer, as it is expected that she will be called upon to appear before PAC to explain her role in the UKBA shambles. Given that Ms Hodge already has form wrt HMRC, it is likely that Homer will face quite a grilling.
Can someone please remind me why Homer was appointed to head HMRC?
Tax does have to be taxing.
UK EXPATS: Reduce tax on UK Pensions
HMRC QROPS provider. Unlock your UK pension and access a 25% lump sum today.
Quote ID code "ABC" when contacting a QROPS specialist.
Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations
What is TAXWISE?
TAXWISE is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.
To find out more, please use this link Taxwise
Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.
Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies
HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
... only GOD knows...
ReplyDeleteAnd he's not friends with Ms Hodge:)
Delete... which is double jeopardy for Homer, seeing as the PAC are due to receive the NAO's 'further work' on Goldman Sachs, Vodafone and three other dodgy settlements shortly.
DeleteSteven Barclay's blog has a piece on Homer, which ominously links her past cock-ups to the challenges facing HMRC. It seems the PAC will conclude that she's not up to sorting out the mess the NAO may uncover.
How did she get the job? Was it advertised?
ReplyDeletethe records will show that it was 'an open and transparent competition'. that's what matters.
DeleteThe records will show whatever Homer decides they will show............1984, HMRC are already there.
DeleteNobody else wanted it !!
ReplyDeleteHomer's Moribund Rancid Chalice.
ReplyDelete