SELF ASSESSMENT TAX RETURN PENALTY PAYMENTS

That this House notes that Exchequer expenditure on advertising and informing people about making self assessment tax returns on time has fallen from £5.5 million to £1.9 million over the last four years and that the penalty charges paid by taxpayers for late submission of self assessment tax returns has risen from £73.7 million to £149.4 million over the last four years; is concerned that this correlation may indicate that tax payers are now being given insufficient information; and calls on the Government to review its policy in order to assist people to make timely returns and avoid penalty payments.