The following is reposted from the London School of Business and Finance website, in the public interest:
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are looking for independent members to give an oversight of tax authority by joining the new Charter committee.
The body will be a subcommittee of HMRC's board charged with overseeing how the tax authority adheres to its Charter commitments, which set out taxpayers' rights in the UK economy. The move is aimed at strengthening governance.
Four recruits
The committee wants four people to join the membership of HMRC executives, non-executives, and a range of external stakeholders from across the spectrum of HMRC's customer groups.
The new subcommittee will be chaired by Edwina Dunn, the non-executive HMRC board member and Charter champion.
New role
The new members will represent HMRC's broad customer groups, offering constructive advice and challenging the board to fulfil the Charter commitments where needed.
These commitments revolve around issues such as making sure taxpayers are treated with respect, the use of representatives, data protection, and cutting administrative costs.
The new recruits will not be paid, but will have expenses reimbursed for travel and other outlays needed to carry out their duties.
Three points. First, I don't take this seriously. These groups need to be on the main board, not a token sub-committee.
Second, it is quite unacceptable to ask people to do this for nothing. Why should a small business person lose revenue to work for HMRC? The days when jobs went to those of independent means should be over. There's also that thing called the minimum wage to consider, in my opinion. HMRC is not a voluntary organisation and HMRC is meant to both enforce this regulation and so, I think, set appropriate standards for behaviour.
Third, I will not be applying, but if anyone is interested, give it a go.
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Don’t you get £65k a year from charitable trusts to enable you to do precisely this sort of thing?
No
You are being offered the opportunity to play a role in introducing the very changes you have called for in your blog over the years. Surely your desire for change supersedes any minor pecuniary interest ?
You are already paid by various charitable organisations to campaign for tax reform. This is a chance to have a hand in enacting those reforms. I think you should reconsider.
This is not about tax reform
It is about a very tiny part of HMRC’s work
And not one I have much faith in as it is set in the wrong governance structure
In addition, my comment about funding was on behalf of the millions who will be precluded by it not paying
So, if it were paying, you would participate? Get in there: your voice is needed!
No, I wouldn’t
As I have made clear, this is tokenism in a failed governance structure
I expect they are looking for the great and the good, people who are already millionaires, not small businessmen.
I don’t think the post will qualify for NMW, as it will probably not be a worker contract. If not volunteers they will be office holders? Their NMW poaition would be the same as non-executive directors.
HMRC would certainly take that view. Their position (with which i disagree) is that you don’t have a worker’s contract unless you perform the duties for a consideration, i.e. money.