Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-06.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many penalties have been issued by HM Revenue and Customs to (a) scheme promoters and (b) their clients for non-disclosure of tax avoidance schemes in each year since 2009-10 under the (i) disclosure regime for VAT and (ii) Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes regime.

Mr David Gauke

The penalty regime for the VAT Avoidance Disclosure Regime (VADR) differs from the requirements laid under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) regulations, in that it is the user of a scheme that is required to make a disclosure to HM Revenue and Customs rather than the scheme promoter.

While the provision exists for promoters to make Voluntary Notifications and receive a disclosure reference to provide to their clients, the penalty regime does not extend to disclosures made in these circumstances.

The information requested in respect of the DOTAS regime is only available at a disproportionate cost.