Leicester expert informs new Labour major HMRC restructure plan

Professor Martin Parker (pictured) from our School of Business has authored a review with colleagues across the sector of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Commissioned by Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, John McDonnell MP, the review explores the difficulties faced by HMRC in performing its main tasks of collecting taxes, enforcing tax laws and delivering a service to taxpayers and draws upon Professor Parker’s research into developing proposals to encourage the co-operative and mutual sector.

Professor Parker and his co-authors make a number of recommendations they say will strengthen HMRC and its public accountability. These include the formation of a Supervisory Board to watch over HMRC’s Board and additional investment in HMRC resources and staffing.

Professor Parker said: “I was very pleased to be involved in this important study. Together with a group of academics, we will be publishing a series of reports on various aspects of business and the economy over the next year or so.”

Among the proposals made in the report is that that HMRC should make tax returns of large companies public and offer protection to whistleblowers.

The report also calls for greater transparency and accountability in HMRC’s reports, for the end of fees as a way to challenge tax assessments – and that HMRC should invest more heavily in resources and staffing, and more competitive ‘financial rewards’ for staff.