In brief: 25 November 2021

In a written statement to the House of Commons, Lucy Frazer, financial secretary to the Treasury, said the government will outline the steps it is taking to ‘progress tax simplification, tackle non-compliance and ensure the tax system is fit for the modern world’ on 30 November.

HMRC has published the November 2021 edition of Agent Update providing a round-up of recent developments for tax agents and advisers.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development global forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes has launched the first edition of the ‘Women leaders in tax transparency’ programme. This network is intended to contribute to the fight for gender equality and empower women to take leading roles on tax transparency in tax administrations.

HMRC has published the synthesised text of the 1981 UK-Mauritius double taxation convention as modified by the multilateral instrument. The modifications are effective for: taxes withheld at source in Mauritius from 1 July 2020 and in the UK from 1 January 2021; corporation tax in the UK from 1 April 2021; and income tax and capital gains tax in the UK from 6 April 2021.

The Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association (PITAA) has joined the global forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes as its 21st observer. The PITAA will participate in the small island developing states in the pacific initiative, raise awareness on and promote alignment with global discussions held at the global forum.