Clauses dropped from Finance Bill as election nears

The Making Tax Digital (MTD) clauses were among those dropped from the Finance (No 2) Bill 2017 as part of the wash-up process before parliament is dissolved for the general election.

In the Finance Bill committee stage debate on 25 April the government deleted 72 of 135 clauses and 18 of 29 schedules. Other clauses dropped included those on corporate loss relief and interest deductibility VAT in relation to fulfilment houses and penalties for enablers of defeated tax avoidance schemes. It is likely that most if not all of those provisions will return in a bill after the election regardless of who forms the next government.

Chartered Institute of Taxation president Bill Dodwell said it was ‘a sensible pragmatic approach from the government and opposition’ to remove most of the complex and controversial clauses until a post-election finance bill is introduced that could be scrutinised properly.

He added:...