The long and the short of it

STANDING COMMITTEE A commenced its scrutiny of the Finance (No 2) Bill on 9 May. Following sessions on gaming duty duties on cigarettes alcohol fuels etc. and VAT missing trader fraud the fifth session supposedly started with a discussion of tax charges and rates for 2006-07; however the debate was quickly diverted to the proposed shortening of the self assessment tax return filing deadline to November.

Stating that the proposal had caused consternation amongst tax advisers Mark Hoban MP (Conservative) referred to Taxation magazine's 'No to November' campaign reporting that completed protest forms were still arriving at the rate of about 100 a day. He also mentioned the disappointment of the ICAEW's Frank Haskew regarding the lack of debate and consultation and Anne Redston's comments that 'HMRC should first find out if this idea is practicable before they announce such a radical...