Finance Bill

I am just about to conclude my speech, so if the hon. Gentleman does not mind, I will not. The key test for the Finance Bill is to ask to what extent it makes the tax system simpler, fairer or greener. In none of those areas do we sense an appetite for consistent strategic action through the Bill. On a superficial level, some things are simpler, in that the Bill removes income tax bands, aligns income tax with national insurance and cuts corporation tax, but there is also plenty of complication, despite opportunities for simplification such as those relating to the general anti-avoidance rule. Even when the Bill gains in simplicity, it loses out in fairness. Individuals on low earnings will now be hit with a tax increase, small businesses will feel the impact of some of the proposed changes, and nothing has been done to address the wealth inequalities that have grown under the Labour Government. In green terms, we have seen welcome but limited changes to vehicle excise duty, and arbitrary and very limited changes to air passenger duty. I suppose that the Bill is slightly green around the edges, but there is no clear indication that it will have a significant impact on behaviour, or that those revenues will be spent on cutting taxes elsewhere to make the system fairer. Again, that leaves the public feeling cynical. It is because the Bill is inadequate in all those important areas, and because of the technical concerns that we have raised earlier, that we are so desperately disappointed with this year’s Finance Bill.