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Finance (No. 2) Bill

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. In addition to covering the substance and main clauses in the Bill, I will address some of the issues raised by the report of the Economic Affairs Committee on the Finance Bill 2006. I also look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Burnett; this is a good debate in which to start. Let me first set the scene. In March, my right honourable friend the Chancellor outlined in the Budget the Government’s vision for Britain. The Government believe in a modern and fair tax system which keeps pace with the changing world, encourages work and saving, and ensures that everybody pays their fair share in delivering world-class public services. The long-term decisions taken by the Government—giving independence to the Bank of England, new fiscal rules and a reduction in debt—have created a strong platform of economic stability. The international economy has in recent years been affected by geopolitical uncertainty, rising oil prices, large current-account imbalances and shifting exchange rates between the US, Asia and Europe. Despite this, the UK has low and stable inflation and its economy is experiencing its longest unbroken expansion since quarterly records began, with 55 consecutive quarters of GDP growth. In fact, in the nine years since the Government came to office in 1997, UK GDP growth has risen by around 26 per cent. By contrast, in the nine years to 1997 the economy grew by 15 per cent. Based on internationally recognised measures of economic stability, the UK has moved from being last for stability of inflation among G7 competitors before 1997 to now being described by the OECD as a ““paragon of stability””. The IMF has emphasised that the UK’s macroeconomic stability remains remarkable, being supported by, "““sound policies implemented by strong institutions and underpinned by monetary, fiscal and structural policy frameworks that have increasingly instilled confidence in the authorities’ conduct of macroeconomic policies””." Alongside that economic record, this finance Bill delivers measures which enhance productivity, enterprise and competition; help the environment; ensure that the tax system is fair and targeted; tackle tax fraud and avoidance and prevent market distortions; and ensure that the tax system can respond to the challenges of globalisation. I should like to say a little about the debate on the perceived complexity in this Bill. These measures are designed to be as simple as possible while protecting revenue, encouraging growth and enterprise, and addressing market failures. Complexity is an issue that the Government take seriously. Tax systems in the modern world are inherently complicated, reflecting the complex economic and social realities in which we live. Recent research carried out by KPMG found that the UK tax system imposes administrative burdens of only around 0.41 per cent of GDP, comparing favourably with other countries. However, HMRC has been set challenging targets to reduce even further this burden. It will reduce the time spent dealing with forms by 10 per cent and with inspections by at least 15 per cent over the next five years. The Government have a strong record of engaging with business and intend to continue this dialogue. Large proportions of the Bill follow extensive consultations with business to ensure that the legislation is modernised to reflect the changing business environment. The—