Written question asked by Peter Viggers (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 February 2010. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Monday, 8 February 2010 on behalf of the Treasury.

Revenue and Customs

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the work of HM Revenue and Customs High Net Worth Team; what changes are proposed to be made to the team; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) High Net Worth Unit (HNWU) was created in April 2009 to deal specifically with the tax affairs of the UK's wealthiest individual taxpayers.The unit's aim is to take an overall view of the tax affairs of these individuals and improve HMRC's understanding of them. This will enable HMRC to communicate more effectively with them, influence their behaviours and provide a more robust evidence base for policy decisions and assessment of their liabilities. However, it is too early to assess the overall impact of the unit's work.Following its initial creation, the unit is now in a position to make some changes to the staff structure of its teams, to reflect the growing understanding of its requirements within this specialist segment. This will maintain the unit's existing nine offices, while improving efficiency and effectiveness.

Secondary information