Twelfth Report: Management of tax reliefs

The government agrees with both recommendations. For HMRC publishing a list of reliefs with behavioural objectives, the target date is Autumn 2021, with plans to explore the best way to collate this information. For HM Treasury identifying behavioural objectives and measurement in Budget documents (TIINs), the government aims to ensure this happens for new or amended tax reliefs by Autumn 2020 and will measure impact through monitoring and evaluation.

The government accepts that HMRC will publish results of internal and external evaluations, with a more structured program for internal analysis starting in 2021. However, it rejects the recommendation for HM Treasury to publish an annual report on value for money assessments, stating these are confidential policy advice to Ministers.

The government agrees to establish and publish criteria for evaluating tax reliefs by December 2020, but rejects the recommendation to evaluate pension tax reliefs within 12 months, stating it is not the right time for a formal evaluation.

The government accepts the recommendation for HMRC to publish data showing who benefits from pension tax reliefs by December 2021, though it notes limitations due to insufficient data for all protected characteristics.

The government partially accepts, committing to HMRC publishing external and internal evaluations from 2021, but rejects publishing HM Treasury's value for money assessments due to their confidential nature as policy advice, while also committing to consider developing a robust value for money methodology.