Modern communications

I wonder how many readers have been struck by the contrast between the way in which HMRC expect taxpayers and their agents to assume the enthusiastic adoption of modern communication techniques in dealings with them while for their part they display great reluctance to do the same in return.

Most PAYE records and many personal tax returns are expected to be transmitted electronically to HMRC. Shortly all company accounts will have to be submitted to them in computerised iXBRL format.

This applies even to the one simple set of accounts which I prepare for a charitable company each year. However HMRC cannot even arrange to deal with their ‘customers’ by e-mail and thus save them time and money.

Some tax districts now will not allow taxpayers to dial directly to the officer dealing with their case – or even be put through by the switchboard to...