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Correspondence from readers on topical subjects.

Disclosure of tax avoidance schemes

I read with great interest the stoic defence of the disclosure provisions for tax avoidance schemes by Anne Redston in Taxation 25 January 2007 page 77 ('A tablespoon of falsehood?') with her conclusion that the disclosure provisions are both proportionate and workable. That is a surprising viewpoint given that the Revenue has stated its commitment to end all tax avoidance and we know that in the eyes of the Revenue there is little difference between tax planning and tax avoidance.  I wonder if Anne feels that the provisions relating to stamp duty 'schemes' are proportionate and workable given that they are designed to require disclosure of nearly everything in that field.
Most practitioners' main concern is with the premium fee test relating to the main direct taxes. In his article 'Suggestio falsi' in...