The Inland Revenue last week cancelled meetings with industry representatives on the reform of stamp duty.
Members of the Modernising Stamp Duty committee, which includes representatives from the BPF, CBI and British Retail Consortium, were told in an e-mail from IR that the meetings had been scrapped.
The e-mail said: “Please note that ministers have asked us to cancel all committee meetings until further notice.”
IR said ministers had too much work to focus on the committee.
But BPF chief executive Liz Peace, who sits on the committee, said other factors could stop the meetings.
“Soon the departments will enter pre-Budget purdah, and wont be able to discuss the changes. There have already been problems with the meetings because the government hasnt been able to talk about the introduction of duty on leases.”
EGi News 27/01/03
