Select committee: Finance Bill Sub-Committee
Conclusion 28
2nd Report - Basis Period Reform and Uncertain Tax Treatments
Published 15 Dec 2021
Paragraph 127
Finance Bill Sub-Committee Draft Finance Bill 2021-22 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We are concerned about the extent of the disconnect between HMRC’s view as to compliance burden for businesses under this new requirement and what our witnesses told us. Whilst we did not receive evidence on the specific amount of additional costs that businesses will incur, we consider that there is a material risk that HMRC has underestimated what businesses will have to do and that the Government’s cost estimates understate the true cost to business of this measure.
From: Finance Bill Sub-Committee, 2nd Report - Basis Period Reform and Uncertain Tax Treatments, paragraph 127, 15 December 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 2 February 2022 (deadline 15 February 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government accepts two of the Sub-Committee's recommendations and partially accepts six, with the cover letter stating it "welcomes" the view that basis period reform should continue.
- On overlap relief and guidance, the Government "cannot commit" to the 5 April 2022 deadlines, but commits to publishing basis period reform guidance "as soon as possible after Royal Assent".
- It does not accept deferring Making Tax Digital for businesses without a 31 March-5 April year end, saying it "cannot justify differential treatment purely based on the date accounts are drawn up to".
- On provisional figures, the Government is "planning to explore" the issue with stakeholders from late February 2022, with a decision on whether and how to introduce an easement "by autumn 2022".
- On uncertain tax treatment, it commits to monitoring the regime and will explore a third trigger through informal engagement, with any decision "subject to full parliamentary scrutiny and debate".