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Tax Philosophy Statement
Tax Philosophy Statement We are committed to keeping our clients’ tax liabilities to the minimum within the spirit and letter of the UK tax legislation. We do not recommend our clients to undertake aggressive or artificial tax planning schemes, both for ethical reasons and because the use of such schemes is likely to attract detailed scrutiny from the tax authorities of all aspects of a taxpayer’s affairs, which is costly [...]
ICAEW right to reply #4 – a commendable response and resolution
There is sometimes a perception that large organisations don't listen to criticism from individual members or don't take practical action based on such criticism. I can now acquit the ICAEW of both of these charges after receiving the following from Andrea Cook, head of Continuing Professional Development and Events Programming: "Dear Mark, Thank you for your response. We have taken some time to consider your points further so please [...]
ICAEW right to reply #3 – my response on the Sustainability Certificate
Given that most of my concerns were misinterpreted, partly addressed or just ignored, a lengthy response was required: "Dear Andrea Thank you for your prompt reply to my comments. I fear that, unlike Sarah Reay’s reply to my question about using a UAE delegation member to discuss COP27, you have not really addressed my arguments in any detail or in any comprehensive way. Let me clarify my main points in [...]
ICAEW right to reply #2 – Sustainability Certificate
I am indebted to Andrea Cook of ICAEW for the following reply to the email contained in my previous post, which I quote verbatim: "Dear Mark, Thank you for joining our session earlier today and for sharing your feedback. ICAEW’s Sustainability Certificate does not, and was never intended to, create sustainability experts. As you say, this is simply not possible in 15 hours. It is designed for finance professionals [...]
ICAEW Climate Summit keeps on giving – controversy as well as useful information
As per my previous post about the invitation to a member of the UAE delegation to discuss COP27, the ICAEW Climate Change Summit continues to delight and infuriate, possibly in equal measure, The ICAEW has introduced a Sustainability Certificate, available to members who undertake a 15-hour (!) course at a cost of £225 + VAT. I have had the very positive experience of attending ICAEW courses on effective writing (which [...]
Climate Summit and the UAE – ICAEW exercises right to reply, effectively
It is easy to criticise people and organisations in a blog. I know there are two sides to every story, and don't want to be one of those 'keyboard warriors' who anonymously abuses all and sundry. So, with many thanks to Sarah Reay of ICAEW, who took time out from her busy schedule running their Climate Summit to explain their position on the invitation issued to a member of the [...]
ICAEW scores an own goal at its Climate Change summit
We have pontificated before in this blog about the lamentable record of accountants in terms of sustainability. Praiseworthy as it is that the ICAEW is holding a Climate Change summit, online and staggered over the working week, and good as most of it has been, they started it off with a disastrous PR blunder by inviting a member of the United Arab Emirates' delegation at COP27 to report back on [...]
Forget the opinions. Time to focus on the facts.
Part 2: corporation tax, income tax and stamp duty land tax Having dealt with arguably the most complicated area of recent tax developments, national insurance, in part 1, part 2 is by way of a summary of what has happened in other significant areas of tax featured in the mini-Budget and Jeremy Hunt's subsequent revision of its proposals. Corporation tax Less detail is required on corporation tax, the other complicated [...]
Mystic Mark and the future of environmental reporting
Mystic Mark and the future of Environmental Reporting Where are we now? 12,000 of the largest UK businesses, including all quoted companies and the largest unquoted entities, are required to disclose details of worldwide emissions (quoted companies) and UK emissions (unquoted entities). No-one else is required to disclose any such details, although a number of businesses choose to do so voluntarily. Where are quoted businesses going in future? I don't [...]
Forget the opinions. Time to focus on the facts – Part 1: national insurance
Forget the opinions. Time to focus on the facts - National insurance We are sure most people with a pulse have an opinion on recent political events, but fear not, we are not going to bore you with ours. Much more important, to our mind, is the potential confusion that has been sown by the mini-Budget and its almost (but not quite) total reversal. So, what does the potential 2023-24 [...]