Finance Bill carved out in deadline scramble

The Finance Bill has fallen victim to the battle for No 10 as the plans for the UK's tax framework going forward are rushed through before the general election.

Plans for a 50p a month broadband tax, the 10% hike on cider and the withdrawal of relief on holiday homes were all dropped in efforts to get the Bill made law before the end of the week.

The political parties have had to reach a compromise to get the legislation rubber stamped, according to the Times.

Advisers have panned the situation for downgrading the piece of legislation responsible for both the UK's tax policy, and giving HMRevenue & Customs the official ability to collect tax in 2010/2011.

"It is deeply unsatisfactory for such a lengthy Finance Bill to have so little debate in parliament," said John Whiting, the CIoT's tax policy chief.

"There will be no opportunity to review the clauses of the bill properly for technical defects prior to debate in parliament. There will be no opportunity to press ministers for clarification on most of the bill’s contents. There will be no chance to discuss how most of these detailed technical proposals will work in practice."