ARC cautiously welcomes Chancellor’s £2.1bn reinvestment package in HMRC while voicing concern over 15% departmental budget cut

25 Nov 2015 06:36 PM

Association of Revenue and Customs (ARC) President Tony Wallace, responded to yesterday’s 2015 Spending Review.

"Although we are yet to have time to consider and absorb the finer details of what today's settlement for HMRC will mean in practical terms, ARC is pleased to see that its case for a reinvestment in skills has at least been partially recognised by the Chancellor.

"The announcement of a £1.3bn reinvestment to fund HMRC's transformation, on the back of the earlier investment of £800m to tackle evasion and avoidance at the Summer Budget, is a welcome vote of confidence in the skills of ARC members.

"However, it does not disguise the fact that overall, HMRC will see its budget cut by a further 15% by 2020.

"ARC will now begin the vital task of working with HMRC to ensure that members are given the tools they need to deliver on the additional £7.2 billion from evasion and compliance promised from that reinvestment.

"ARC has members across the United Kingdom and, whilst recognising the department's plans to consolidate its estate, we will work to ensure that the investment already made in the skills of HMRC's highly cost-effective professionals continues to contribute to the welfare of the nation."

Notes for editors

1. The Association of Revenue and Customs (ARC) is a union representing senior staff in HM Revenue and Customs, including tax inspectors, accountants, lawyers, managers and other leading professionals. ARC represents members in HMRC at grade 7 and above, and also trainees in grade 7 entry schemes. It is also a section of the FDA.

2. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 18,000 of the UK's senior civil and public servants. Our members include policy advisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants, special advisers, government lawyers, diplomats, crown prosecutors and NHS managers.

3. The FDA (formerly the First Division Association) should be referred to simply as "The FDA" and can be described as "the senior public servants' union".

For further information contact:

· Tony Wallace, ARC President, tel: 020 7401 5555.

· Kay Hender, Communications Manager, tel: 020 7401 5589 or 07980 700747