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Issue 7; 7 May 1999
CAMPAIGN
Many thanks to the 2007 of you who agreed to fund the start
up of the Campaign. I have now republished the Campaign
web site and details of how to join can be found at https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/join
To the others on this mailing list I would also invite you
to join. We can make a difference. As a result of you all
writing to your MP and helped by a brief from David Ramsden
(Director of the IR35 Campaign), John Whittingdale the Conservative
front bench Spokesman on Treasury, raised IR35 in Parliament
for the first time on 4th May. 1999;
"I have mentioned measures that have received publicity
and are causing concern, but which do not appear in the
Bill. One other measure, which may have provoked more letters
from my constituents and those of my hon. Friends than almost
any other, is not mentioned in the Bill at all. It was referred
to in the press release accompanying the Budget documents--IR
35--which announces the Government's intention to deal with
personal service companies. In certain professions, people
choose to incorporate themselves as a personal service company
and to undertake contracts of perhaps three or six months
on behalf of companies. The change in the tax treatment
of those people is causing a great deal of concern. Professionals
in the IT industry, in large part, choose to form themselves
into personal companies, and gain a tax advantage in terms
of their equipment and training expenses. I understand that
the Government are anxious to close loopholes and crack
down on tax avoidance, but I do not regard that as an example
of tax abuse. The importance of IT professionals to the
economy is considerable, especially now that we are wrestling
with the possible problems of the millennium bug and the
Y2K issue. I would have thought that the Government would
be anxious to encourage IT professionals rather than to
disadvantage them through tax changes. The measure is provoking
enormous concern, and I am sure that almost every hon. Member
will have received, or will receive, letters from people
in the industry. I understand that the measure will come
into effect at the beginning of the next financial year.
It is not mentioned in the Bill, however, and I understand
that the Government do not intend to legislate until they
introduce next year's Finance Bill. It is worrying that
the implementing legislation will not come before the House
until after the measure has come into effect"
ENGINEERJOB.COM
As the site has now grown to over 60 pages I have added
a site map to aid navigation. Some of you have had trouble
seeing new additions to the web site. Make sure your use
the reload/refresh button on your browser as you may be
served an old version from your browser cache. To those
Contractors who contributed in the early stages I am willing
to transfer your monies across to the Campaign site if you
join up. Complete the online form and post evidence of your
previous payment together with payment for any shortfall
to the address provided. If you were issued with an invoice
engineerjob.com will issue a credit note in due course.
Kind regards
Andy White
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