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Working Together: Work on tax agent standards ‘slowed down’

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Work on tax agent engagement and standards is being ‘slowed down’ to acknowledge concerns expressed by agents and their representative bodies, HMRC said in the latest issue of Working Together.

Work on tax agent engagement and standards is being ‘slowed down’ to acknowledge concerns expressed by agents and their representative bodies, HMRC said in the latest issue of Working Together. But in a progress report HMRC said a proposed consultation on ‘standards and oversight of the paid agent community’ would proceed this year as planned.

In its December 2011 summary of responses to the consultation Establishing the future relationship between the tax agent community and HMRC, the department said a further consultation ‘during 2012’ would include proposals on:

  • a ‘minimum level of competence’ that would allow those qualified by experience to demonstrate their competence in the future;
  • the criteria that would qualify a ‘recognised body’ to self regulate [sic] their members in tax matters;
  • the role of a ‘recognised body’ in supporting members whose work is considered to be below standard;
  • the appetite for HMRC to act as ‘supervisor’ for those choosing not to be members of a ‘recognised body’; and
  • the make up and role of an independent body or advisory group to the Commissioners of HMRC.

The May 2012 issue of Working Together also has an update on the ‘joint initiative on service delivery’.

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