Thirty-Sixth Report - HMRC performance 2019–20
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 690
20 January 2021
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty sixth report from Session 2019-21 · published 26 Mar 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
On the basis of a Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
Conclusion
On the basis of a Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on its performance in 2019–20.1
Government Response Summary
The government states it agrees with the committee's "recommendation" and that it has been implemented, but then refers to a response made to a recommendation from a different committee report regarding eligibility for excluded groups in COVID-19 support schemes, not the introductory conclusion provided.
HM Treasury
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8
Conclusion
Not Addressed
HMRC is responsible for administering several government interventions in response to COVID-19.
Conclusion
HMRC is responsible for administering several government interventions in response to COVID-19. These include: grant-paying measures, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Eat Out to Help Out; measures to defer payments of tax liabilities, such as deferring VAT …
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Government Response Summary
The government response reiterates the primary support measures administered by HMRC, which was introductory context in the committee's conclusion, but does not address the observation about OBR's cost estimates.
HM Treasury
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16
Conclusion
Not Addressed
We asked the Department to write to us about how its recruitment and location policy...
Conclusion
We asked the Department to write to us about how its recruitment and location policy would reflect the ‘levelling-up agenda’.43 HMRC subsequently wrote to us to explain that it was supporting the government’s levelling-up agenda by helping ensure the Civil …
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Government Response Summary
The government response does not address the committee's conclusion regarding HMRC's recruitment and location policy supporting the 'levelling-up agenda', instead providing unrelated information about professional advice for regional centre leases.
HM Treasury
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18
Conclusion
Not Addressed
In terms of its compliance work, restrictions on travel and social distancing have affected HMRC’s...
Conclusion
In terms of its compliance work, restrictions on travel and social distancing have affected HMRC’s ability to visit taxpayers and many businesses have not been operating. HMRC told us that while it has restarted some of its criminal investigations, it …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response outlines overall funding allocations for HMRC from the 2020 Spending Review, including for customs, Making Tax Digital, and IT. It states that HMRC is reviewing its 2021-22 priorities and preparing its Outcome Delivery Plan, but does not specifically address the committee's observations regarding the impact of COVID-19 on compliance work or tax receipts.
HM Treasury
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19
Conclusion
Not Addressed
HMRC told us that it has a significant debt balance, about £27 billion, which is...
Conclusion
HMRC told us that it has a significant debt balance, about £27 billion, which is not in any payment arrangement and has increased mainly as a result of policy decisions to allow taxpayers to defer their tax payments. HMRC aims …
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Government Response Summary
The government response does not address the committee's conclusion regarding HMRC's significant debt balance or its approach to debt recovery, instead detailing unrelated funding allocations for customs, IT, and tax digitalisation.
HM Treasury
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