Institutes call for technical tax support for MPs
The CIOT and ICAEW have welcomed the proposal for tax professionals to be involved in legislation at an early stage
TAX PROFESSIONALS HAVE called upon the government to set up a specialised unit to help MPs with tax policy technical support.
The Treasury select committee produced its report on the principles of tax policy and recommended that tax professionals should have a greater role in its formation.
Vincent Oratore, the president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said that the committee’s call for proper time for parliamentary scrutiny is “fully in line with the CIOT’s thinking”. He also welcomed “the call the Committee makes for a specialised unit to help MPs with tax technical support, something we have long felt is necessary”.
However, he questioned the committee’s suggested deadline of passing new legislation before the new tax year, adding it should not be at the expense of proper time to evaluate the measures.
Frank Haskew, head of ICAEW’s tax faculty, said that more needs to be done to “ensure that Members of Parliament have the knowledge and understanding that will enable them to do this effectively. This is where ICAEW and the tax profession can do more to help”.