Back in July, the Treasury Committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, asked the new chancellor of the exchequer to support a Finance Bill amendment giving the committee the right of veto over the appointment of senior figures to the Office of Tax Simplification.
The financial secretary to the Treasury has now written to Mr Tyrie, agreeing that parliament should have a strong role in the future appointment of the OTS chair. The letter says, ‘recognising the OTS’s new and expanded role we will therefore ensure that appointments to the chair of the OTS are made in such a way to ensure the Treasury select committee (TSC) is able to hold a hearing, after the appointment is announced but before it is formalised. Should the TSC recommend in its report that the appointment be put as a motion to the whole House, the government will make time for this motion and respect the decision of the House. This arrangement will not apply when the current OTS chair, Angela Knight, is appointed to the new statutory OTS, but it will be applicable to all future OTS chair appointments.’
Mr Tyrie commented that ‘parliament will now be better placed to safeguard the OTS’s independence’, as a result of these arrangements.
Back in July, the Treasury Committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, asked the new chancellor of the exchequer to support a Finance Bill amendment giving the committee the right of veto over the appointment of senior figures to the Office of Tax Simplification.
The financial secretary to the Treasury has now written to Mr Tyrie, agreeing that parliament should have a strong role in the future appointment of the OTS chair. The letter says, ‘recognising the OTS’s new and expanded role we will therefore ensure that appointments to the chair of the OTS are made in such a way to ensure the Treasury select committee (TSC) is able to hold a hearing, after the appointment is announced but before it is formalised. Should the TSC recommend in its report that the appointment be put as a motion to the whole House, the government will make time for this motion and respect the decision of the House. This arrangement will not apply when the current OTS chair, Angela Knight, is appointed to the new statutory OTS, but it will be applicable to all future OTS chair appointments.’
Mr Tyrie commented that ‘parliament will now be better placed to safeguard the OTS’s independence’, as a result of these arrangements.
