CIOT Welcomes Second EDM On Income Shifting

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

27 March 2008

The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) on Wednesday welcomed the second Early Day Motion (EDM) on income shifting tabled in the House of Commons.

When the first EDM was tabled, the CIOT revealed that it had long been of the view that fundamental reform to the structure of small business taxation was necessary if small businesses were to be able to plan their tax affairs with any degree of certainty.

The second EDM stated that:

"This House… calls on HM Treasury and other affected departments to use the additional year that they have allowed themselves for consultation on this issue to undertake a thorough review of more appropriate means of providing smaller enterprises with a suitable legal entity designed for use in the 21st century, and not the 19th century as the limited company was, that will simultaneously reduce the taxation, accounting and regulatory burdens on smaller enterprises, so freeing them to generate wealth and employment in the UK economy, whilst ensuring that they can with minimum effort comply with the taxation and other requirements imposed upon them by law in a way that minimises risk of tax avoidance, creates a level playing field in which all in the sector can compete fairly and ensures that the right person is taxed on the reward they have earned at the right time and in ways which do not create artificial and inappropriate incentives to recategorise employment as self-employment, and the reward for labour effort expended as investment income.”

Rob Ellerby, CIOT President, commented that:

“The MPs who tabled this motion are right to say that by extending the process for another year, the Government has given itself a great opportunity to think through the issue more fundamentally with a view to coming to a better answer.”

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