Public accounts committee: CIOT responds to MPs’ report
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CIOT has responded to a new report from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, which highlights declining trust in HMRC, as well as the growing cost of tax administration for HMRC and taxpayers alike.
Ellen Milner, the Institute’s Director of Public Policy, said that improvements to service levels are key to rebuilding trust in the tax authority. ‘Until these problems are properly addressed, we will continue to see an impact on the tax system as a whole, the ability to do business and the wider economy.’
CIOT has welcomed a call in the report for HMRC to learn lessons from its implementation of Making Tax Digital so far and put the needs of taxpayers at the heart of plans to improve digital services. The Institute says the PAC’s findings support its own repeated calls for investment in HMRC performance, alongside new tools to support emerging digital platforms, as well as traditional contact methods such as telephone helplines.
‘The upcoming Spending Review needs to provide the resources needed for HMRC to replace its legacy IT systems, as well as continuing to support taxpayers who need to contact them through traditional routes,’ said Ellen.