Blog

HMRC bosses were questioned by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee at a hearing on the management of tax debt on Monday 17 January.

The Senedd Finance Committee began its scrutiny of the draft Welsh Budget 2022-23 late last year (Dec 22) and later looked at the Welsh Tax Acts etc. (Power to Modify) Bill), with Welsh Government Finance Minister Rebecca Evans and officials from the Welsh Government. We learn that plans for Welsh Vacant Land Tax are going nowhere, and Evans is not sold on a Welsh Finance Bill.

MPs argued that holiday let owners should pay council tax on their properties and second home owners should pay a council tax surcharge, during a debate on the impact of second homes and holiday lets in rural communities. A Conservative MP suggested a ‘wealth tax’ on UK property with overseas owners.

Labour and Liberal Democrat peers have accused the Government of ‘polluting the concept’ of the National Insurance Fund by using it to provide subsidies to businesses, such as incentives to move to freeports and to employ military veterans.

Liveblog on the fifth and final sitting of the public bill committee which took place in the morning of Tuesday 11 January, covering the remaining clauses in part 5 of the bill, and new clauses. Measures debated include notification of uncertain tax treatment and discovery assessments.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury challenged some of the concerns about the impact of new off-payroll rules, and defended HMRC’s approach to the roll out of the reforms in the private sector, in a House of Lords committee appearance before Christmas.

Liveblog on sittings of the public bill committee which took place on the afternoon (3.30pm) and evening (6pm) of Wednesday 5 January, covering parts two and four of the bill. Measures debated included the Residential Property Developer Tax, import duty and vehicle excise duty.

MPs will resume clause by clause debate on the Finance Bill on Wednesday 5 January. Remaining clauses cover topics including vehicle excise duty, notification of uncertain tax treatment and use of discovery assessments.

The Scottish Government has published a new framework for tax policy making alongside a consultation on Land and Buildings Transaction Reform. Alongside this, studies on the impact of changes to income tax in Scotland have been published by the Scottish Government and HMRC. Find out more below.

A House of Lords report has called for more work to be done on the impact basis period reform will have on businesses unable to align their accounting period with the tax year, and for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax to be deferred for these businesses.