HARRA DEFENDS HMRC POWERS AT DEBATE

摘要

At a heated CIOT debate on the extension of HMRC powers, tax advisers objected strongly to plans to introduce new powers for HMRC to collect unpaid tax, with particular antipathy to the proposed direct recovery of debt (DRD) proposals, which they claim have simply been dusted off and resubmitted after they were rejected by the last government six years ago. Jim Harra, HMRC director general for business tax, mounted a strong defence of the plans and refuted claims that the measures represented a power too far. 'Our powers are subject to extensive safeguards and we need to ensure that they are used proportionately. As we get more effective at tackling boundary pushers, if we think we need more powers we will ask for them,' said Harra.