Thursday 27 June 2013

The Chancellor Talks Bollocks


Chancellor George Osborne delivered his spending review yesterday, and cut HMRC's budget by 5% for financial year 2015/16.

He is quoted by AccountancyAge:
"Despite the fact that this department will see a 5% reduction in its resource budget, we are committed to extra resources to tackle tax evasion.

The result is that we expect to raise over £1bn more in tax revenues from those who try and avoid paying their fair share."
I have to say I am a tad "confused" by the Chancellor's statement.

There is an overall cut of 5%, but a commitment to increase resources on tackling tax evasion, I presume this "increase" will be at the expense of other areas of HMRC's work?

On the subject of tax evasion, as I noted yesterday, serious tax evasion is actually declining; therefore is this "increase" in resource cost effective?

The Chancellor then seems to confuse evasion with avoidance, and claims that the cut/increase in resource (take your pick) will increase tax take from avoidance by around £1BN.

Anyone care to explain that to me?

I guarantee one thing, the cut in resource coupled with the ongoing pressure to increase tax take will lead to an increase in the administrative burden and costs on businesses and individual taxpayers as the government seeks to pass the cost of tax collection onto them.

Frankly it sounds like a load of bollocks to me.


Tax does have to be taxing.

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3 comments:

  1. "serious tax evasion is actually declining"

    Referrals of serious tax evasion are declining. That's not (necessarily) the same thing at all.

    Other than that, yes of course it's bollocks: it's Osbourne!

    Stew G

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...or however you spell his name! SG.

      Delete
  2. Ken I suggest you read this if you haven't already
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-revenue-and-customs-departmental-improvement-plan

    ReplyDelete