AAT public affairs and public policy activities: November 2021

Every month AAT summarises some of the key Public Affairs & Public Policy activities undertaken on behalf of our members.

Below you will find some key highlights for November 2021.

If you would like any further information about any of these issues, please contact Phil Hall, AAT Head of Public Affairs & Public Policy via twitter or via email.

Regulating unregulated accountants

AAT continues to make the case for unregulated accountants to be obliged to join a professional body and was contacted by the relevant Treasury Minister to discuss the issue. We also discussed the issue with a number of MPs and peers in November as well as various other stakeholders including the CBI tax team.

There is an increasing realisation that our proposals have merit and so we were very pleased to see that the government yesterday abandoned its proposed solution of imposing professional indemnity insurance (PII) on non-professionals, something that AAT had strongly campaigned against.

AAT will continue to push for anyone offering paid for tax or accountancy services to be obliged to join a relevant professional body and the government’s November 2021 announcement on PII is another step towards achieving this.

Success of AAT Capital Gains Tax campaign acknowledged

On 1 November, more than 800 individual accountancy firms highlighted that the payment period for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on qualifying residential house sales had been doubled at the Budget as a result of an 18 month AAT campaign for the same.

Last month the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Frazer QC MP, also wrote to AAT to acknowledge the role we had played in securing this important policy change.

Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with 14 Parliamentarians took place in November, relating to unregulated accountants; HMRC performance; AAT’s 2022 report, Time for Change: A more effective and fairer tax system, as well as various other issues.

Non-Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with almost 60 external stakeholders took place in November. These included the European Banking Authority and a range of European banking officials in relation to our recent paper on a Central Bank Digital Currency, numerous AAT licensed accountants in relation to the Help to Grow Scheme, HMRC Performance and Covid-19 support schemes and a range of organisations from Working Mums to the Chartered Institute of Building on gender equality issues.

AAT consultations, calls for evidence & inquiry responses

AAT responded to the BEIS inquiry into Flexible Working (with thanks to the AAT HR department for input) and the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into HMRC Performance 2020-2021.

Most AAT consultation responses can be viewed on the AAT Policy page.

Other meetings, events and engagements

• Phil Hall participated in the regular HMRC Virtual Communications Group (VCG).
• Adam Harper attended the regular Representative Bodies Steering Group (RBSG) with HMRC.
• Phil represented AAT at the regular Trade Association Forum hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses.
• Phil also represented AAT at the CBI business rates working group, which met in person for the first time in over 18 months.
• Phil attended the ICB (International Certified Bookkeepers) 25th Anniversary Awards & Dinner.
• Phil spoke at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women and Work.
• Phil met with officials from BEIS to discuss their Help to Grow scheme and its relevance to AAT members.