This Treasury Committee report considers HM Revenue & Custom's past work in ensuring tax compliance and concludes that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done. HMRC defines the tax gap as the difference between tax collected and the tax that should be collected (the theoretical liability). The theoretical tax liability represents the tax that would be paid if all individuals and companies complied with both the letter of the law and HMRC's interpretation of the intention of Parliament in setting law (referred to as the spirit of the law). Enabling voluntary compliance is the most efficient way of closing the tax gap, and HMRC must ensure that all those who wish to comply with their tax obligations are able to do so. Part of the process of encouraging voluntary compliance is demonstrating that HMRC treats all taxpayers fairly, whether they are individuals, small businesses, or large corporations. The tax system should be simplified to make compliance easier. HMRC's recent announcement of ways it intends to improve its processes for settling tax disputes is a step forward in the context of wider questions needing to be answered about the accountability structures of HMRC. HMRC's calculation of the tax gap is flawed and risks focusing the minds of its employees on the wrong task: maximising revenue at all cost rather than ensuring that all taxpayers pay the right amount of tax.

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