This week’s opinion

Although I remain a strong supporter of HMRC’s digital strategy two aspects are causing me increasing concern. The first is the continuing absence of any specific detail about how quarterly reporting will work and what it intends to achieve. The second is what appears to be a serious disconnect between business tax accounts and agent access. If agents cannot access their client’s business tax accounts how will they be able to assist them in meeting their obligations?

You will see that in this issue Robert Maas questions the recent research on agents’ views of HMRC’s digital strategy and seeks those of readers (‘Digital direction’). Please would as many of you as possible take the time to respond so that we can properly gauge agents’ views. There is no more important issue facing our profession. There will be a wide range of views – indeed I suspect that Robert...