PCG newsletter 17/02: May 15, 2002: PCG's Success with C/C++ off Visa List

In this issue:

• PCG's New Success with Fast Track Visas
• Changes to Inland Revenue IR35 Guidance
• Tax Investigation Insurance Policy Renewal
• Successful Outcome of Inland Revenue Visit
• Deadline for Return of P35 - 19th May
• Real Life Meetings

This week the Professional Contractors Group has witnessed movement on two key areas where it has been actively lobbying on behalf of its members. First, the Government agreed to remove some of the IT disciplines from the fast track visa list after the PCG had demonstrated they were not in short supply; and, a few days later, the Inland Revenue made changes to the status manuals following a series of meetings with the PCG to discuss how they could be clarified.

1. PCG's New Success with Fast Track Visas

The Professional Contractors Group campaign over the issuing of fast track visas is continuing to bear fruit. The PCG has now demonstrated to the Government that there is no skill shortage in IT skills, C/C++ and Javascript and, as a result, these skills have been removed from the fast track visa list.
This follows on from the PCG's success in March when Oracle Database Administrator was removed from the list and last year when other IT skills, including programming languages, Java, Perl and Visual Basic were also removed from the list.
The PCG became a member of the Government's Skills Sector Panel for IT in autumn last year. The panel advises what skills in the IT sector are in short supply and would be eligible for the issuing of fast track visas to overseas workers to meet a perceived need in the market-place.

The PCG is continuing to run two surveys about fast track visas:
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/ftv/index.html
on possible abuses of the system, and
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/ftv/skillssurvey.html
on specific skills on the skill shortage list.
We will use the evidence collected to support the removal of skills from the shortage list and report specific episodes of abuse.

You can find more information on the campaign at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/press_pn0902.html?nl150502

2. Changes to Inland Revenue IR35 Guidance

The Professional Contractors Group has recognised the positive move on the part of the Inland Revenue in amending the official guidance on status assessment to take account of changes recommended by the PCG.

The manuals are the guidebooks for the Inland Revenue's own staff as to the criteria which are taken into account when determining whether a contractor is caught by IR35. The PCG had proposed a series of changes to the Inland Revenue's status manuals, which the contractors' Group considered would result in more balanced guidance.

In response to these suggestions, the Revenue has clarified some of the details in the manuals, including the issue of duration of contract, provisions of equipment and the relevance of indicators of 'Being in Business on Your Own Account'.

The PCG's Kevin Miller has looked at the changes in detail, and you can read his report in full on the Legal and Accounting Forum at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=legalandaccount-42&p=0&v=c&s=5?nl150502

(You will need to be fully logged in to the Discussion Forums before making this link. See
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html
for further details)

3. Tax Investigation Insurance Policy Renewal

You may have noticed that your Certificate of Tax Investigation Insurance shows the expiry of the policy as 30 April 2002. This is because the PCG Tax Investigation Insurance policy is a group policy taken out by the PCG on behalf of its members. The group policy runs from 1 May to 30 April annually.
Details of the policy are available at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/taxinvest_main.html

Please note that the PCG group policy with the insurers HAS been renewed for the year 2002 - 2003, and the updated Summary of Cover, which details your Tax Investigation cover from 1 May 2002 until your PCG membership renewal date, will shortly be available on the PCG website in a printable version.

A link to the Summary of Cover will be included in a PCG newsletter, and will also feature on the Quick Links on the PCG homepage at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/index.html

4. Successful Outcome of Inland Revenue Visit

Another PCG member has recently enjoyed a successful outcome from an Inland Revenue PAYE inspection, with the IR having decided that the contracts in question were outside IR35.

You can read the whole history of the Inland Revenue visit and the subsequent status decision on the Legal and Accounting Forum at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=legal-46861&p=0&v=c&s=5?nl150502
(You will need to be fully logged in to the Discussion Forums before making this link. See
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html
for further details)

5. Deadline for Return of P35 - 19th May

A reminder for PCG members who haven't yet completed their Form P35; the deadline for the returning Form P35 to the Revenue is Sunday 19th May.

REGIONAL NEWS
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Real Life Meetings

For the latest information and to start a local group see
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/wwwthreads.pl?a=l&f=meet

To promote your local meet through the newsletter - email [email protected] with REGIONS in the subject matter, details of the event and a name and email contact point/or phone number for further information.

Yorkshire
**********
Date: Friday 17th May
Time: 7.00 pm onwards
Venue: Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield (off M1 J39)
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4861&p=0&v=c&s=5

Newcastle Upon Tyne
**********
Date: Tuesday 21 May
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Carriage pub (Archbold Terrace - 2 minutes from Jesmond Metro station)
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4868&p=0&v=c&s=5

Peterborough
**********
Date: Wednesday 22 May
Time: 8.00pm onwards
Venue: Paul Pry, Lincoln Rd, Peterborough
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4832&p=0&v=c&s=5

Herts
**********
Date: Thursday 30 May
Time & Venue TBA
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4867&p=0&v=c&s=5

Guildford
**********
Date: Tuesday 4 June
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: Weatherspoon, Guildford

West Midlands
**********
Date: Wednesday 12 June
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: Rose and Crown at Junction 3 of the M42
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4890&p=0&v=c&s=5

Yorkshire
**********
Date: Friday 14 June
Venue: Jarvis Hotel, Wetherby (just off the A1) - TBC
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4861&p=0&v=c&s=5

Please follow this link to Real Life meetings to get involved
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/wwwthreads.pl?a=l&f;=meet

(having problems following the links?? have you read this?...
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html)

Alison Edwards
(PCG Executive Team)

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This newsletter is published by the Professional Contractors Group.
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