At the moment there are only 2,000 fully qualified tax inspectors,’ says Murphy.
Hmm.
We know that the head count at HMRC has fallen since the merger. What we don\’t know is whether the number of \”fully qualified tax inspectors\” has fallen. The question is in to HMRC press office and we\’ll see what they say.
also, what’s the definition of “fully qualified”? Is there a union/chartered institute engaged in rent-seeking by operating a closed-shop against the competent but unqualified?
They recruit every year – presumably the department knows how many it needs to recruit. If needing to have xxx number but no more then you’ll only recruit up to that level.
Expensive staff too – both in pay and training. So presumably not overstaffing with them.
HMRC got rid of large numbers ofv experienced Inspectors because of the antics of Brown. They also introduced several moronic sysytems of investigation in which cases were pooled and people could be sent all over the country to “investigate” cases far from their homes. Working out of a suitcaes and spending a week in a part of the country alien to them reduced their effectiveness even more–not to mention the added costs in a department already running out of cash–mostly wasted on managers and bad ideas anyway.
The number of “trained” Inspectors is of no importance. Raw, green troops have been “trained” but noboby would take them in preference to veterans. HMRC got rid of most of its experienced Inspectors as a result of Brown’s antics and management cretins shutting small local offices. Previous Inspectors “patrolled” so to speak, areas they lived in and they knew what was going on and who up to what. Now they are green mugs who are working far from home.
In case this suggests I have any sympathy for HMRC let me say this:Fuck HMRC and the Thieving–sorry, Courageous state they work for. The time for paying the states thieving is coming to an end.
Previous Inspectors “patrolled” so to speak, areas they lived in and they knew what was going on and who up to what. Now they are green mugs who are working far from home.
Indeed, a mate of mine runs a backstreet car repair workshop. Enough is legitimate to cover rent and NMW for 3 employees, all the rest is cash in hand, mostly restoring write-offs of sports cars to working spec (very high quality repairs) for specialist clients.
Previously (pre-2005) he would have expected a tax inspector to be nosing around the backstreet industrial estate where he operates every couple of months, looking for unregistered businesses and un-VAT’ed, un-PAYE’d operations.
Since the local Inland Revenue office closed and the local inspectors pensioned off, he’s seen neither hide-nor-hair of anyone. As a consequence of this and increased VAT, NI and Income Tax, backstreet business on the estate are booming.
Not saying I condone tax evasion, but this is the consequence of moving to a centralized, call centre approach to taxation. It’s very efficient for large businesses, but means that micro-businesses can slip through the cracks.
Without nosy locally based inspectors with their hobnail boots on the ground the chances of being caught operating without tax in cash-only businesses are slim-to-none.
If more officials would bring in more money, then privatise the service. Simples.