Jon Thompson, chief executive of HMRC has been given a public drubbing by MPs for failing to tell 100,000 small businesses how to prepare for a 'no deal' Brexit.
Thompson was given a dressing down in a letter from parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which has been made public.
Committee chair Meg Hillier said she was "concerned and disappointed" about the lack of communication with small businesses from the department, and asked for an urgent update on how HMRC plans to make them aware of potential changes to how they trade.
She also criticised a further delay to HMRC's new customs declarations service, which is not likely to function properly until after Brexit.
The letter is quoted by City AM:
"I am both concerned and disappointed...you have made little progress.Hillier also accused HMRC of being underprepared for changes to how businesses would pay VAT on EU imported goods after Brexit - with bills expected to be paid quicker.
You gave us no assurance that HMRC has a plan to ensure that businesses are aware of what they will need to do.
We are particularly concerned about the 100,000 small traders that HMRC can not engage directly with, as you do not know who they are.
I would be grateful if you could write to the Committee as soon as possible with an update on the level of business understanding and preparedness for changes to customs rules and procedures in the event of no deal."
Thompson told the committee his team had only just started to work with software developers to create the new system.
WHY ONLY START NOW??????
Hillier said:
"The potential move to postponed accounting is something that was foreseeable and it is reasonable to expect you to have been better prepared for it."An HMRC spokesperson said:
“HMRC has well-developed plans to ensure that there will be a functioning customs, VAT and excise system in the unlikely event of a no deal. We have engaged with business representative bodies who will be a key partners in reaching businesses to ensure that they understand any implications for them.
We have always said the timeline for implementing the Customs Declaration Service is tight, but that we would operate the current system (CHIEF) in tandem throughout the transition. We have made good progress to ensure that the UK has a customs system capable of handling any potential volume of customs declarations after March 2019.”
BOLLOCKS!
Oh, and in other news, Thompson has deleted his Twitter account.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Well, well, well - the Bully in Chief deletes his twitter account! The thing with twitter is, yes you can use to communicate bullshit, but, as they have now realised, it's not a one street! Real people will reply with their real world experiences which won't be anything like the HMRC narrative. HMRC being the cowards they are run away from that and only want to use social media to broadcast their own propaganda! Utter scum.
ReplyDeleteAh yes. The Twitter account which, showing a degree of lack of self awareness that defied belief, had a banner picture of him sitting on a military transport in blue civilian body armour and helmet?
ReplyDeleteThe last twerp who did something so crass, stupid and hubristic as that was Gordon Brown.
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ReplyDeleteDid the PAC ask why the triple chinned blobby shite has a dead rat under his nose?
ReplyDeleteThis man is not honest and a disgrace to public office.
ReplyDeleteAnother weekend embarrassment
ReplyDeletehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6246161/100-000-middle-class-families-face-unexpected-tax-demands-HMRC-admin-fiasco.html
Nothing new in this story, its been going on for years! Ever since that fuckwit Osborne decided to means test child benefits & some fuckwit policy wonks came up with an overly complicated way of doing it!
DeleteAnd none of this is unprecedented.
ReplyDeleteWhen 'Real Time Information' was brought in about 5 years ago - which involved the biggest change in how employers and pension companies submit pay and tax information ever - HMRC made little or no attempt to 'educate' employers/pension companies in how to operate the new system. A handful of seminars and 'webinars' was deemed sufficient. Otherwise, they were expected just to get on with it, with the threat of penalties if they didn't do it right.
Five years on, and most of the screw-ups involving people's tax codes and calculations are still being caused by either information submitted incorrectly online or by it being cocked up by HMRC's own systems.
What makes it even worse is that front-line staff have no means of overwriting this duff data to correct the records. Instead, they have to go back to the employer/pension company and tell them how to submit a correction...which is often then incorrectly filed itself, which makes things even worse.
The trouble is that Excomm doesn't contain anyone with the balls to tell ministers that what they want is either a) unworkable altogether, or b) unworkable without a realistic timescale and sufficient resources to do it.
A culture of "Yes, minister, no, minister, three bags full, minister, we can get it done by last week, minister, can I have my OBE now, minister?" prevails. With the inevitable consequences.
It all started to go wrong before RTI, with the introduction of NPS, which they never got working correctly before introducing RTI, paired with local office closures & job losses because these super duper IT systems meant they wouldn't be needed!? Which has led to the giant shitball we have in HMRC today!
DeleteDoesn't surprise me that he deleted his Twitter account, as HMRC only want to hear positive comments (or dish out their propoganda).
ReplyDeleteHMRC is unfit for purpose, and will end up with even more demoralised staff with their new 'hubs'.
The PAC (or somebody) need to hold HMRC to task for their 'Building Their Future' agenda, their Sickness Absence policies, their working practises, their working environment (masses of whiteboards, pointless meetings and dull propoganda meetings etc).
The list could go on, but sadly those at the top move on too quickly to be held accountable. They make major changes, but leave before the proverbial hits the fan.
Many seem to leave for lucrative private sector jobs, or only hang round long enough to get an honour.
Excom is useless, and it needs an independant authority who can challenge and overthrow HMRC's decisions. Currently they have carte blanche to do however they please.
No the move to regional centres will be a massive success! Thousands of yes men drones with less than 5 years experience, only capable of following orders!
DeleteHMRC is one huge clusterfuck run by "psychopathetic" half-wits who should not be allowed on the street alone.
ReplyDeleteAnyone with a modicum of internet search ability should quickly be capable of linking the utter failings of IiP, Lean/Pacesetter, Excom, Homer, Hartnett, Gordon Brown, HM Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue, HMRC, Osita Mba, the 2 discs farce, whiteboards, Toyota et.al. and be able to join the ensuing links and join the dots.
The big question though remains; how the fuck has this been allowed to happen?
Answers on the back of a postage stamp please!
Some very astute observations about how HMRC is operated in the above comments...one day...one day...maybe someone will join up the dots...and maybe we'll see some criminal convictions...HMRC have stuck two fingers up to the public & the justice system for too long but surely it'll catch up with them eventually.
ReplyDeleteMAKE THESE NASTY, DISHONEST, COWARDS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR LAW BREAKING!!!
The Fat Controller competes with the Homer for the accolade of being the worst ever CEO of HMRC. Full of lies, some of them hilarious, some defamatory. Nasty, ugly loser.
ReplyDeleteThese heads of HMRC seem to have a consistently poor track record, could there be a possible connection between this and the way that legislation is so routinely ignored and broken by HMRC, an institutionalised failure maybe?
ReplyDelete...and as regards HMRC's law-breaking we need disciplinary action & prosecutions to show the public (and other public sector organisations) that nobody is above the law!! #draintheswamp #justice
ReplyDeleteHMRC: rotten from timid band O grades upwards.
ReplyDeleteIn reality HMRC have created such a poisonous atmosphere that virtually everyone is at each others throat... it's a selfish,look after number one hellhole encouraged by scum management... despicable
DeleteToday's management aggression : being constantly "encouraged" ie forced ad nauseum to fill in the non mandatory staff survey...they just want us to fill it in so they can tick their engagement box....the survey will tell them they are bullying scum...but senior management will ignore it.
DeleteThis man should have been sacked a long time. In my company LYING would be Gross Misconduct, immediate dismissal.
ReplyDeleteRe: HMRC Bullying & Harassment. It's been reported in the news in the last few days that the Bank of England faces a 'probe' by the Treasury Select Committee because of a rise in alleged instances of bullying and harassment - there having been 23 reported cases from July 2013 - June 2018.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, over at HMRC the number of such allegations are SUBSTANTIALLY higher and nobody is looking at it. Of course it's proper that they scrutinise the B o E but the bank is operationally independent whereas HMRC are a government department.
Parliamentary committees would do well to look at the utter violence and inhumanity meted out to HMRC staff if their face doesn't fit. I would be quite prepared to give a statement including details of HMRC attempted to pervert the course of justice (a serious crime) in their sad little attempt to dilute the reality of their misconduct.
Let's be having a full investigation!
Internal Intranet has finally got members of staff commenting on bullying...senior management are nowhere to be seen.
ReplyDelete@18.54 The only comments made by Senior management in response to these comments on the "Newsroom" are made just before they are closed to comments, although few, if any, of the comments made are addressed. It's a trend that has been noticed by all over the last few months. They seriously think their staff are stupid, with no right to being answered
ReplyDeleteI fear HMRC senior management are too slow in responding to comments about bullying. How can they keep running away from the chaos their mismanagement has enabled? Cowardly scum.
DeleteCos they don't give two fucks....their staff are just numbers... despicable bastards
DeleteJust heard Thompson has received death threats over Brexit.
ReplyDeleteInternal HMRC intranet comment section on the "Mental Health" thread now having more and more staff coming out and criticising the HMRC senior management on their weasel words....one pathetic HR manager has offered a simply thanks voucher as a reply....are these management bastards on a different planet? We need to challenge these scumbags !!!
ReplyDeleteHMRC couldn't give a toss about Mental Health - I sadly speak from experience there.
DeleteI wish in some ways I was still there, so I could honestly comment on their damaging policies. However, even being out of work is better than having to work there.
Are there many All You Can Eat Buffet's near 100PS to satisfy chief fat trough boy?. Preferably ones that serve Chips. HMR Chipsfortea
ReplyDeleteWonder was Thompson's "death threats" a reality...or was he just getting too much hassle and couldn't stand the heat ? Twitter deletion a reality check ? As rotten as Homer ?
ReplyDeleteThe timelines appear interesting, however, if true then this is appalling, death threats are not to be treated lightly, and no public servant, whatever the grade, should be subject to them.
ReplyDeleteThere is enough capability to put proof before the courts, although the methedology might be subject to PII unfortunately.
If so, just send 'Da Boys' around for a 'wee chat'!
Course, they could also use those capabilities to put other alleged lawbreakers in front of the bench, Goose vs. Gander syndrome!
Appalling weather lately, what? ;)
Intranet reply from Jon Thompson in his blog :..."We are upping the AA pay by at least 4% this coming year"
ReplyDeleteWhy you may ask ??
Because the pay is so low in HMRC that the department is forced to pay an in-year increase to AA grade staff just to meet the same national minimum wage it is the department’s job to enforce.
Incredible !!
Delete