TaxPayers’ Alliance: Is HMRC fit for purpose?

Matthew Sinclair, director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, comments on the public accounts committee (PAC) report into corporate tax avoidance:

"This report again calls into question whether HMRC is fit for purpose. Ordinary taxpayers often feel that they are treated harshly when they make genuine mistakes because of our complicated tax system; the PAC findings will increase suspicions that big businesses are treated differently.

"The taxman will always struggle to effectively enforce a tax code that is one of the longest and most complicated in the world and the only way to ensure that more individuals and big businesses pay their fair share is to simplify the system and reduce the number of loopholes.

"There may be times when confidentiality is needed, but it would be unacceptable if HMRC was using this as an excuse to avoid being completely transparent about its decisions."