The Telegraph quotes an HMRC spokesman:
"It is important that our customers know that if they choose to engage in tax avoidance we will be relentless in pursuing them.Of course trying to understand what parliament's true intentions are is somewhat muddied by the incredibly complex tax system that we all have to endure.
We will challenge tax avoidance and will take legal action against [tax avoidance] schemes whenever possible. Instead of the tax savings they hoped to achieve, people who use tax avoidance schemes run the risk of wasting money on fees for a scheme that does not work, and will have to spend time dealing with an in-depth investigation by us into their tax affairs.
Taxpayers may find themselves being cross-examined before a tax tribunal and having their tax avoidance exposed to public scrutiny when the tribunal's decision is published."
Much of the time, trouble and expense incurred over "avoidance" by taxpayers and HMRC could be greatly reduced if the tax system were simplified.
That of course requires politicians to actually do something constructive, sadly that is something that is unlikely to occur in the foreseeable future!
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Look carefully at some of the words; challenge, relentless, pursue, cross examined, exposed to public scrutiny, in-depth investigation and remember this is HMRC making the threats to the amorphous "customer/taxpayers".
ReplyDeleteThose that utilise the Crown Protectorates, sorry, Tax Havens, must be laughing all the way to the offshore banks, and I don't mean the sandbanks either.
It must be akin to a Geoffrey Howe bollocking known as "like being savaged by a dead sheep".
Not forgetting that the big boys will employ the best legal minds, up against CPS/RCPO LOL!
They must have worn out a whiteboard or two dreaming this threat up.
Setting aside the pedantry at the start (it's an umbrella term - get over it), I'm pleasantly astonished to read a post by Ken about the 'A' word which I agree with! :)
ReplyDelete(Let's not go into what areas of simplification are required right now, as I fear the unprecedented spirit of concord might evaporate before we have a chance to enjoy it...)
Stew G
Have to agree... simplification really is what's needed,
Deletee.g. A GCSE level student could work it out!
Hey up Ken, I have heard the first cuckoos of the season!
ReplyDeleteIs unprecedented spirit really poteen but with counterfeit labels stuck on the bottles?
As for GCSE level students isn't that of current interest at this time?
LOL.