The recent taxation travails of comedian Jimmy Carr prompted a seminar organised by Crowe Clark Whitehill LLC at the Mount Murray Hotel where island tax professionals were able to gain an insight into current HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) thinking and practice.
In a coup for the firm its tax investigations group, London-based Sean Wakeman and Martin O’Kane from the Manchester office, secured the services of two senior members within the HMRC Specialist Personal Tax (SPT) operations group, Peter Cope and Dave Webster, to speak at the event.
The inspectors emphasised their willingness to enter into dialogue with professional tax advisers and the seminar afforded the 150 attendees a unique opportunity to ask questions to the two high-ranking HMRC officers.
Crowe Clark Whitehill Isle of Man director John Cowan explained: ‘It’s very rare for tax professionals to have an opportunity to hear the views on such relevant offshore subject matters from two such senior HMRC officers who, between them, have some 80 years’ experience.
‘Recent media coverage has done much to change the public’s perception about personal taxation. Against this background Peter Cope and Dave Webster offered us a valuable insight into the varied and colourful work of the HMRC Specialist Personal Tax group, especially the investigative side of their operation.’
Mr Cowan added that HMRC investigations were generating heightened interest in the services of Crowe Clark Whitehill’s award-winning* tax investigations group.
He continued: ‘Personal taxation is a developing area. Practice is changing and we all have to adapt. We were therefore encouraged that HMRC saw participating in a seminar hosted by an offshore jurisdiction as “the right thing to do”. The presentation was illuminating and offered some interesting insights into current HMRC thinking.
‘Our seminar provided a unique opportunity for HMRC to “feel out the landscape”. I believe their willingness to take part demonstrated a shift towards a more even-handed non-confrontational approach and, importantly, a move towards a welcome new openness.’
*Lexis Nexis Taxation Awards – Best Tax Investigations Team 2012
Picture Andrew Barton
