AAT public affairs and public policy activities: May 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 May 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 the unregulated

AAT’s campaign to ensure the third of accountants who are currently unregulated i.e. not members of a professional body, are compelled to be so, was my main focus of activity in May.

The campaign continues to gather widespread attention from the accountancy, tax and insurance industries as well as from political stakeholders and HMRC.

AAT has already described Government plans in this area as inadequate, setting out an alternative for compulsory membership of a professional body, which is now backed by 63% of the public, 78% of MPs and 93% of AAT members.

The consultation closes this month but the AAT campaign will continue.

Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with 11 Parliamentarians in May centred on subjects including the timely payment of tax, tax avoidance and a Universal Basic Income.

Non-Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with over 40 external stakeholders took place in May. These included most other professional accountancy and tax bodies, Airports Watch, NatWest Bank, officials at HMRC and HM Treasury, CBI, FSB and others on issues ranging from VAT shifting, unregulated accountants, air passenger duty, umbrella companies and much, much more.

AAT consultations, calls for evidence & inquiry responses

Following a licensed member survey, AAT responded to the HMRC call for evidence on Timely Payment, proposing faster payment of taxes for individuals and small businesses. Those members who responded were uniformly opposed to the proposals and this is reflected in AAT’s response.

AAT proposed a number of innovative reforms in its response to the HMRC consultation, Clamping Down on promoters of tax avoidance, including an additional 25% penalty, joint tax liability between promoters and taxpayers and strengthening the approach to the disqualification of company directors.

These and other responses can be viewed on the AAT Policy page.

Other meetings, events and engagements

• Joined an online roundtable discussion with Seb Payne, Whitehall Editor at the FT
• Represented AAT at the HMRC Wealth Forum
• Participated in the regular HMRC Virtual Communications Group (VCG)
• Represented AAT at the regular Trade Associations meeting hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses
• Represented AAT at the PCRT Bodies Expert Group to discuss unregulated accountants
• Participated in a Resolution Foundation webinar, “Taxing Times” relating to, “the good, the bad and the ugly of tax through the ages.”
• Listened to the CTA annual address with Sir Dieter Helm, who recently praised AAT’s work on Aviation Tax Reform
• I discussed small business tax policy with the Entrepreneurs Network
• I met with the Recruiters & Employment Confederation to discuss the potential regulation of Umbrella Companies