Digital Services Tax

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 31 Oct 2022 Closed: 27 Jun 2023 Parliament page
In April 2020 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) introduced the Digital Services Tax, a 2% tax on the revenues of search engines, social media platforms and online marketplaces which derive value from UK users. The government expects to remove this tax when international reforms proposed by the Organisation for Economic … Read more
4 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
2 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
27 Jun
2023
Report published
27 Jun
2023
Correspondence
5 Apr
2023
Report published
12 Jan
2023
Correspondence
8 Dec
2022
Oral evidence
8 Dec
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
8 Dec 2022
View on parliament.uk
Digital Services Tax
Jim Harra · HMRC Jon Sherman · HMRC Mike Williams · HM Treasury
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital Services Tax HC 732 5 Apr 2023 20 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
There are obvious challenges facing the OECD in implementing the multilateral Pillar One reforms to...
There are obvious challenges facing the OECD in implementing the multilateral Pillar One reforms to the planned timetable, which could have major implications for the future of the Digital Services Tax. Some other countries, including France for example, have also … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and reiterates the target implementation date is 2024, describing Amount A of Pillar One and stating that Parliament will be able to scrutinise and ratify the convention through normal Parliamentary procedures before Amount A of Pillar One is implemented.
HM Treasury
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1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from HM Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the Digital Services Tax.1 The government introduced the Digital Services Tax in April 2020 because … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion by summarizing the Digital Services Tax and its intended purpose as an interim solution until the OECD reforms are introduced.
HM Treasury
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6 Conclusion Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
The Digital Services Tax is an interim solution to meet a perceived a lack of...
The Digital Services Tax is an interim solution to meet a perceived a lack of ‘fairness’ in the current system, and is not on its own intended to deliver a ‘fair’ system, or to level the playing field between online … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion, stating that the DST is a pragmatic interim solution focused on businesses for which the policy concern is most relevant and administrative burdens are considered manageable, and that tax policy is kept under constant review.
HM Treasury
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7 Conclusion Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
HMRC did not take the view that the tax was significant enough to have a...
HMRC did not take the view that the tax was significant enough to have a noticeable additional burden on businesses. However, evidence submitted to us by one travel business complained of the greater impact on those operating high-volume, low-margin businesses.18 … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion, stating that the DST is a pragmatic interim solution focused on businesses for which the policy concern is most relevant and administrative burdens are considered manageable, and that tax policy is kept under constant review.
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
Since 2013, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G20 group have...
Since 2013, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G20 group have worked together under the ‘Base Erosion and Profit Shifting’ project, and subsequently with around 140 countries and tax jurisdictions under the ‘Inclusive Framework on Base … Read more
Government Response
The government's response describes Amount A and Amount B of Pillar One of the OECD reforms.
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Forty-Fourth Report - The Digital …
The Digital Services Tax is intended to fill the gap until the implementation of Pillar...
The Digital Services Tax is intended to fill the gap until the implementation of Pillar One, albeit as a ‘second-best’ solution.23 Other countries have also introduced a Digital Services Tax, including France, Italy, Spain and Austria.24 HM Treasury told us … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion, stating that the DST is a pragmatic interim solution focused on businesses for which the policy concern is most relevant and administrative burdens are considered manageable, and that tax policy is kept under constant review.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 9 of 4 classified
Accepted 2
Acknowledged 6
Not Addressed 1
Total 4 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
27 Jun 2023 Joint correspondence from Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury, and Jim Harra, Chief Executive and First Permanent Secretary, HM Revenue & Customs, re Forty-Fourth Report of Session 2022-23 – Digital Services Tax, dated Forty-Fourth Report of Session 2022-23 – Digital Services Tax
Parliament page
12 Jan 2023 Correspondence from Victoria Atkins MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, re update on Making Tax Digital, dated 19 December 2022
Parliament page