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The House of Commons Treasury Committee held an evidence session on Wednesday 18 November as part of its inquiry into Tax after Coronavirus. The inquiry is examining the tax system following the reconstruction of the economy after the unprecedented economic fallout of the pandemic.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held a meeting on Monday 16 November 2020 with HMRC officials Jim Harra (Chief Executive), Angela MacDonald (Deputy Chief Executive) and Justin Holliday (Chief Finance Officer). The meeting was PAC’s annual look at HMRC’s Standard Report and the department’s annual report and accounts.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee held a session with representatives of HMRC and the Treasury on Thursday 12 November 2020 as part of its inquiry into COVID-19 and employment.

The Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee took evidence from John Cullinane, CIOT’s director of public policy and Charlotte Barbour, director of taxation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) last week (4 November 2020) as part of their scrutiny of the 2021-22 Scottish Budget.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee held a session with the Tax Minister Jesse Norman on Monday (2 November), as part of its inquiry into draft Finance Bill 2020-2021.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s Finance Bill Sub-Committee has questioned representatives of HMRC, the IFS Tax Law Review Committee and TaxWatch, and a tax tribunal judge, as part of its inquiry into new HMRC powers contained in Draft Finance Bill 2020-21.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s Finance Bill Sub-Committee held an inquiry into proposals for new tax checks on licence renewal applications. Witnesses were from the Institute of Licensing, National Association of Licensing and Enforcement Officers, British Metals Recycling Association, Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and Licensed Private Hire Car Association.

The House of Commons Treasury Committee held a hearing on Tuesday 20 October into employment taxes, as part of their Tax after Coronavirus inquiry. Witnesses were Bill Dodwell, Judith Freedman and representatives of the CBI and IPSE.

Live blog of proceedings of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s Finance Bill Sub-Committee on Wednesday 21 October 2020, in which representatives of the CIOT's Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG), the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) and other bodies were questioned about measures relating to tax avoidance schemes, tax checks and HMRC powers.

Normal politics were on hold at the online Conservative Party Conference, with shortened speeches and curtailed policy debate. The Chancellor committed himself to putting the “overwhelming might of the British state” at the service of struggling businesses and workers, but said that the books would need to be balanced eventually. On the fringe, and in media interviews and reports, there are clues as to which taxes are likely to rise.