Delivering a new relationship with business outlines a series of amendments designed to transform its relationship with SMEs and develop strategies to help companies to settle their tax affairs sooner. HMRC is ultimately striving to create a new management act which will modernise and simplify the legislative framework for the administration of taxes.

“Taxpayers, practitioners and HMRC will all benefit from making the tax system as transparent and efficient as possible. We want our stakeholders to help us to produce an Act that delivers the streamlined legislation and clearer guidance which will benefit everybody,” said Paul Gray, the acting chairman of HMRC.

HMRC is also hoping to have a delivery plan ready by 2010 which will focus on aligning the enquiry window with the submission of the tax return, enabling SMEs to settle their tax affairs sooner. The system will also develop a single one-stop-shop customer enquiries database; detailing every dealing with HMRC. This will assist in updating its online filing system and improve the services that it provides for agents and tax advisers.