Bid to secure strategic review for contractors

by Susie Hughes at 20:34 14/04/16 (News on Business)

A political party has tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill in a bid to secure a strategic review for contractors.

SNP Treasury spokesman Roger Mullin’s intervention calls on the Chancellor to report back within six months. It comes after meetings between Mr Mullin and the employment intermediary trade body PRISM which has been campaigning for the review. PRISM hopes it would result in official recognition for contractors and the way they work for the first time, as workers have historically been forced into one of two categories - employed and self-employed. Mr Mullin’s amendment reads: “The Chancellor of the Exchequer must conduct a strategic review of the impact on workers defined as providing services through intermediaries of their treatment for income tax purposes, including the differential impact on different types of worker, and must publish the report of the review within six months of the passing of this Act.” Advertisement Speaking at the Finance Bill debate recently, Mr Mullin also made clear his party’s opposition to the Chancellor’s changes to travel and subsistence relief. George Osborne is removing T&S relief for contractors despite lobbyists efforts to show that they work at a series of temporary workplaces and lack job security. It is claimed that the changes will hit contractors working in rural areas, and in the oil and gas industry which is key to Scotland, particularly hard. Crawford Temple, CEO of PRISM, welcomed the SNP amendment. He said: “Roger Mullin and his SNP colleagues have recognised the desperate need for a strategic review and it is fantastic that Mr Mullin has tabled the amendment. “The way people work in Britain has evolved over many years and Government in the way it treats people for tax and other purposes has not kept up. “The flexible workforce is one of the best things about the labour force in the UK and it is key to our future economic strength. “This third way of working cannot be ignored any longer. We cannot go on any more with a two-sizes-fit-all system when the country would benefit wholesale from the rules, laws and regulations being brought up to date to recognise the entrepreneurial strength of contractors.” Tweet -- If you wish to comment on this article, please log in and use the Reply button below. Registering is free and easy - see 'Join Shout99'. - Susie Hughes © Shout99 2016

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