The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on responsible tax is chaired by Labour MP Margaret Hodge, former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, and supported by CIPFA. It will investigate how parliament can help to build and maintain a fair, sustainable and transparent tax system both in the UK and internationally.
Hodge said: “We want to start an open discussion around the responsible tax agenda with as many people with a broad range of views. By enabling the public to contribute their views directly on to the site, interested parties can observe the development of our work in real time and look at contributions from others.
“During my time as chair of PAC it was clear that openness and transparency lies at the heart of any successful project. I hope that we set a new standard for transparency for APPGs and groups of this kind.”
The group’s website, which goes live today, allows the public to contribute to its research and reports. It marks the first time an APPG has enabled the public to add their views through an online platform.
Participating in an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders will help the group will work towards a shared understanding of what constitutes responsible tax behaviour, it said.
The first consultation will focus on the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting recommendations (BEPS), finalised last month.
In 2016, the group will move on to look at HM Revenue and Customs’ capacity to deliver fair tax and the examination of tax reliefs and simplification of the tax system.
Other group members include David Davis, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden, and another former PAC chair and Richard Bacon, Conservative MP for South Norfolk who is a current member of the PAC. Labour peer Lord McFall, who chaired the Treasury committee until 2010, is also a member.
CIPFA and think-tank CoVi (Common Vision) will jointly provide the APPG with secretarial support.
