Yet, as I said on the Today programme the following day, it is finding it increasingly difficult to carry out its duties. The Gershon review and subsequent rounds of Comprehensive Spending Reviews have meant that it is on track to lose almost 25% of its staff. No business organisation could suffer such drastic loss of headcount without an impact on its business – why should the public sector be any different?

HMRC is a frontline service which businesses and individuals have to deal with on a daily basis. It needs to be resourced as such. Yes, I have no doubt that savings can be made through the increased adoption of technology and more efficient working practices – and we will continue to be supportive of such savings.

We have a good working relationship with HMRC. Its new acting chairman, Dave Hartnett has been quick to start addressing the service level issues that we’ve been raising with him directly over recent months.

What needs to happen now is that Dave Hartnett needs to be given the full support of Government, together with the resource he needs, to tackle the problems that the loss of the two CDs have brought to the fore. We will play a constructive part in helping him to do so.

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Comments

Is this not an opportunity to lobby for members of recognised accounting bodies to be the only persons able to decscribe and hold themselves out as 'accountants'.  We are an extension of the tax collection industry after all.

Mr Daniel Gricks