HMRC set out blueprint for near-future

HMRC have pledged in an official document to make the UK tax system ‘more efficient, flexible and effective’ over the next four years.

In the newly published Business Plan 2011-2015, the Revenue has set out its vision to close the tax gap, have the tax system regarded by taxpayers as even-handed, and establish the department as a ‘highly professional and efficient organisation’.

To achieve the aims, HMRC propose to use their ‘customer-centric approach to transform the way we deliver services, manage contact and conduct interventions’.

The taxman intends to prioritise both the Government’s investment of £900 million to tackle avoidance, evasion and tax fraud, and the planned transformation of the PAYE set-up through the use of real-time information.

Greater transparency is to become a ‘key principle’, according to the business blueprint, which has been criticised by business leaders for lacking detail. The Institute of Directors (IoD) said it was ‘very concerned that key parts of HMRC’s plan do not yet exist and are only promised’.

The organisation’s head of taxation, Richard Baron, ‘Apparently, HMRC will develop a change and delivery plan by February, and a plan to bring in an extra £7bn of tax revenue that will be ready by April – but the Chancellor has already decided to spend £900 million on bringing in extra tax revenue. There ought to have been detailed plans in place before that money was allocated.’

Mr Baron acknowledged, however, that the Revenue’s proposal for its development over the coming years contained ‘worthy’ sentiments and intentions that were ‘the right ones’.

‘In some areas, specific big tasks that will clearly take several months to perform are identified. Those tasks are sensible ones that could deliver real improvements, and the timescales are reasonable,’ he said.

Issue Extract

businessplan.pdf

Categories: News , Business Plan 2011-2015 , HMRC business plan , Institute of Directors , IoD , Richard Baron , Admin , Income Tax