KEY POINTS
- Transparency is more important than GAAR and GANTIP.
- Hartnett’s Hardman lecture emphasises need for trust and transparency.
- Possibility for tax agents to ‘self serve’ in HMRC computer systems.
- Let’s have openness on income shifting and residence.
When I interviewed Dave Hartnett recently on the subject of the ‘tax amnesties’ I also raised the question of tax avoidance. I was surprised to find that he was not particularly bothered about anti-avoidance provisions whether in the form of GAARs or GANTIPs.
Although he did refer enthusiastically to his view that we should ‘abolish the Duke of Westminster’ (as an authoritative tax case rather than a further step on the road to House of Lords reform) he was far keener on the principle of transparency as a way of combating avoidance.
I interviewed him...
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