Finance (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-12-01
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government amendments 2 and 3 Clause 28 stand part Clauses 53 to 66 stand part Clauses 84 to 90 stand part That schedule 12 be the Twelfth schedule to the Bill Clause 91 stand part That schedule 13 be the Thirteenth schedule to the Bill Clause 92 stand part New clause 5—Reviews of Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy— ‘(1) The Government must publish a review of the operation of the Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy by 31 December 2027 (2) The Government must publish on 31 December each year until the establishment of a register of beneficial owners of overseas entities that own UK property— (a) an assessment of the contribution to the effectiveness of the Levy that such a register would make; and (b) an update on progress toward implementing such a register.’ This new clause will put into law the Government’s commitment to undertake a review of the Levy by the end of 2027, and require them to publish an assessment every year until a register of beneficial owners of overseas entities that own UK property is in place an assessment of what impact such a register would have on the effectiveness of the Levy, and progress toward the register being established. New clause 7—Reporting on provisions relating to publication of information about tax avoidance schemes— ‘(1) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must, within three months of the passing of this Act, lay before the House of Commons and publish a review of the impact of measures contained within this Act that relate to the publication by HMRC of information about tax avoidance schemes (2) The review undertaken by the Chancellor under subsection (1) must include commissioning an independent assessment of the information published by HMRC about disguised remuneration loan schemes (3) The independent assessment under subsection (2) must include consideration of the following with respect to the purposes set out in section 85(1)(a) and (b) of this Act— (a) HMRC’s approach to the loan charge scheme; and (b) recommendations for altering that approach (4) The Government must before the review commences make a statement to the House of Commons stating what efforts have been taken to guarantee the independence of the assessment under subsection (2) (5) The Government must within three months of the publication of the review under subsection (1) make a statement to the House of Commons stating which of any recommendations under subsection (3)(b) it will be accepting, and give reasons for any decision not to accept one or more of those recommendations (6) The Government must every six months after the publication of the review in subsection (1) make a statement to the House of Commons stating what progress has been made towards implementing any of the recommendations that arise from subsection (3)(b) which the Government has accepted.’ This new clause would require the Government to review the impact of measures contained in clause 85 of the Bill, and as part of that to commission an independent review of the information published by HMRC about disguised remuneration loan schemes. This independent assessment must consider HMRC’s approach to the loan charge scheme and consider recommendations for altering that approach, and the Government would be required to state to the House its response to the recommendations. New clause 12—Assessment of Economic crime (anti-money laundering) levy— ‘The Government must publish within 12 months of the Act coming into effect an assessment of the impact of Part 3 of this Act (Economic crime (anti-money laundering) levy) on the tax gap and how it has affected opportunities for tax evasion, tax avoidance, and other economic crimes.’ This new clause would require an assessment of the impact of the Economic crime (anti-money laundering) levy on the tax gap and on opportunities for tax avoidance, evasion and other economic crimes. New clause 13—Review of avoidance provisions of sections 84 to 92 on the tax gap— ‘The Government must publish within 12 months of the Act coming into effect an assessment of the provisions in sections 84 to 92 of this Act on the tax gap in the UK.’ This new clause would require an assessment of the impact of the provisions on tax avoidance in clauses 84 to 92 on the tax gap. New clause 14—Review of provisions of section 85 and publication of information on overseas property ownership— ‘(1) The Government must publish within 12 months of this Act coming into effect an assessment of the impact of the provisions of section 85 about the publication by HMRC of information about tax avoidance schemes (2) This assessment must include consideration of the impact of the publication of a register of overseas property ownership upon the promotion of tax avoidance in the UK.’ This new clause would require an assessment of the impact of the provisions of clause 85, and consideration of the impact of publishing a register of overseas property ownership. New clause 15—Review of Economic crime (anti-money laundering) levy rates— ‘(1) The Government must within six months of the Economic crime (anti-money laundering) levy coming into effect lay before the House of Commons an assessment of the effectiveness of rates of the levy in section 54(2) in achieving the levy’s objectives (2) The assessment under (1) must also make an assessment of how the effectiveness of the levy would be changed if each of the rates of the levy in section 54(2) were (a) doubled and (b) tripled.’ This new clause would require the Government to assess the effectiveness of the proposed levy rates and of levy rates twice and three times as high.