CMS Tax Evasion Referrals

[Name Removed] made this Freedom of Information request to HM Revenue and Customs This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear HM Revenue and Customs,

Please could you provide the number of referrals of suspected tax evasion submitted by the Child Maintenance Service to HMRC. Please could you provide a yearly breakdown of the number of referrals made covering the last 10 years.

Yours faithfully,

Mr [name removed]

foi.team@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of Team, FOI, HM Revenue and Customs

Our ref: FOI2020/00341

Dear Mr [name removed],

Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement

Thank you for your communication of 13th February which has been passed to
HMRC's Freedom of Information Team.

We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.

The Team will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either
comply with HMRC's obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we
think it's an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the
Act, let you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it
on to a more appropriate part of the Department for answer.

Yours sincerely

HMRC Freedom of Information Act Team

foi.team@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of Central FOI Team, HM Revenue and Customs

1 Attachment

Dear Mr [name removed],

We are writing in response to your request for information, received 13
February.

Yours sincerely,

HMRC Freedom of Information Team

Dear HM Revenue and Customs,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of HM Revenue and Customs's handling of my FOI request 'CMS Tax Evasion Referrals'.

I dispute that either Section 31(1) or 31(3) are applicable in this case.

I have merely asked for a series of numbers. It is non-sensical to suggest that providing a series of numbers would either prevent the detection of a crime or the assessment of collection of any tax or duty or any imposition of a similar nature. I would also remind HMRC that the CMS are duty bound to report any suspected tax evasion so your argument that providing the figures would dissuade them from doing so is also illogical. I would actually argue that the publication of this data should act to encourage rather than discourage organisations with their obligation to report tax evasion.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Mr [name removed]

foi.team@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of Central FOI Team, HM Revenue and Customs

Our ref: IR2020/00591

Dear Mr [name removed],

Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement

Thank you for your communication of 12th March which has been passed to
HMRC's Freedom of Information Team.

We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.

The Team will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either
comply with HMRC's obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we
think it's an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the
Act, let you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it
on to a more appropriate part of the Department for answer.

Yours sincerely

HMRC Freedom of Information Act Team

foi.team@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of Central FOI Team, HM Revenue and Customs

1 Attachment

Dear Mr [name removed],

We are writing in response to your request for information, received 12
March.

Yours sincerely,

HMRC Freedom of Information Team

Dear [email address] on behalf of Central FOI Team,

Thank you for your response which was most helpful.

Could I please clarify the following:

(a) Was the bulk data exchange referred to a case of HMRC sharing data with the CMS or the CMS sharing data with HMRC?

(b) Did the data exchange just cover data for 2019, or also for previous years? In other words, were the 273 cases identified all from 2019, or across multiple years? If multiple years, what date range did the data cover please?

Yours sincerely,

Mr [name removed]

foi.team@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of Central FOI Team, HM Revenue and Customs

Our ref: IR2020/00591

Dear Mr [name removed],

The data we received in 2019 contained information spanning calendar years
2013 to 2019.

Yours sincerely

HMRC Freedom of Information Act Team

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