asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that the VAT Anti-Evasion Branch in the Revenue Commissioners, which was abolished last month, in the three years 1984-1986, identified more than £13 million in undeclared VAT for collection; the section of the Revenue Commissioners which will now be responsible for identifying undeclared VAT; the measures which are being taken to implement the commitment contained in the Programme for National Recovery to make additional resources available as necessary to the Revenue Commissioners to achieve improved results; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - VAT Collection.
29.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the value of revenue collected by the VAT anti-evasion branch in the years referred to by the Deputy was £4,482,000. This figure does not include amounts of approximately £9 million drawn to the attention of the Collector-General by the branch. These amounts would have been included in the Collector-General's normal collection processes and no details are available as to the proportion actually collected.
The work previously undertaken by the VAT anti-evasion branch will now be centralised under the Chief Inspector of Taxes who has carried out the bulk of this work in the past. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there will be no loss of revenue by this redeployment and that the redeployment is, in effect, a concentration of the anti-evasion drive into the more productive area of arrears collection. I understand in fact that this re-organisation will result in increased Exchequer receipts in the current year.
This concentration of resources is in line with the Government's commitment in the Programme for National Recovery to improve collection and enforcement, stamping out arrears and ensuring prompt payment of tax liabilities.