How Google got its tax break: An HMRC boss who says it is ...
Havens and hell in the Paradise Papers leak: Mirror Politics morning ...
With impeccable timing the Public Accounts Committee this afternoon takes evidence from the leading officials at HM Revenue & Customs. The Paradise Papers reveal , as Jeremy Corbyn noted at PMQs last week, how when it comes to paying tax there is “one rule for the rich and another for the rest of us.”.
BBC Panorama: The fraud costing the UK £1bn a year
HMRC says it has new powers and is tackling the problem. Tax Commissioner Jim Harra told Panorama: "It's something that you should not have done. But do I believe it is completely impossible to smuggle goods into the UK without paying duties if you're determined to do so? Of course, it's not." The BBC ...
Frank Haskew, head of the ICAEW Tax Faculty, welcomed the appointment. As per economia:
“But we certainly welcome it: he knows his stuff and he is someone you can do business with.”
He added:
“He had a knack of telling you how it is but it was also clear he cared about your concerns and how HMRC could improve. That’s really important when you are dealing with stakeholders whose members are at the sharp end when things go wrong. HMRC has picked a good ambassador.”
Paul Aplin, ICAEW deputy president and tax partner in A C Mole said:
“His experience within HMRC at board and EXCOM level is unrivalled and he is experienced in both the media and political spheres.”
Harra joined the Inland Revenue as an inspector of taxes in 1984. In January 2009, he was appointed director of corporation tax and VAT with responsibility for optimising their design and delivery. In March 2011, he was promoted to director of personal tax customer operations and seven months later to director personal tax operations.
He became director general business tax in April 2012 and took up his current dual role in October 2016.
He said that he was looking forward to his new appointment.
“The work we are doing in the department to create a tax system that makes it easier for taxpayers to get things right, and to prepare for the UK leaving the EU, is vitally important and touches every life in the country.
I am proud to have been given the opportunity to help lead this important work.”
In his new role he will be working in tandem with Jon Thompson, HMRC’s permanent secretary, who has been in post since April 2016.
Thompson said
“There are some enormous and important challenges ahead for HMRC: our transformation programme to make us a world class, digital-first tax authority; our focus on supporting the hones majority and clamping down on the dishonest minority; and our work to rise to the challenges of exiting the EU – particularly customs and the border.
Jim knows HMRC and its customers well and will bring his usual dedication, knowledge and professionalism to the role."
