HMRC thinking about sharing taxpayer data

HMRC it seems is now consulting upon whether to allow third parties to purchase taxpayer data!

The data, which HMRC say would be “anonymised with robust safeguards”, could be made available to private companies, research organisations or public bodies.

HMRC say that the data would only be shared in circumstances where there is a clearly defined public benefit.

Walker Thompson questions the choice of wording here where sharing data involves the attachment of a price.

HMRC say that any third party acquiring data would be subject to the same level of confidentiality as HMRC’s own staff which in every respect is probably of little comfort.

David Davis MP (cons) said that such plans were “Borderline Insane” and said that officials clearly had no understanding of the risks involved in an electronic age.

And we still hear stories regularly of laptops and phones left in taxis and on trains etc by the very people who will be potentially involved in this.