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Good morning. It鈥檚 good to see so many of you here this morning.

I wanted to give a short introduction to this session and set out some of my initial thinking after 50-odd days in the job.

Firstly, it鈥檚 vital that we maintain an open and constructive dialogue between HMRC and its stakeholders.

Between you, you have the expertise and the experience to ensure the tax system is working at its best.

I look forward to working with you all and listening to your words of wisdom.

Tax Post Referendum

Let me quickly turn to the most pressing issue for the government.

After the decision to leave the EU, there鈥檚 a lot to be getting on with.

You are no doubt looking at the implications yourselves.

And in HMRC and the Treasury, just as across government, we鈥檝e spent the summer undertaking a huge exercise to look at the consequences, and of course opportunities, associated with our exit. You may be aware that David Davis will be updating the House later today.

There are still questions that need answering at this stage before concrete decisions can be made but the work and preparations go on as I speak.

Continuity of Approach

Aside from that, the governments work must go on and at the heart of that is our tax policy where we鈥檝e made promises to deliver a fairer, efficient and competitive tax system.

Let me start with fairness.

We don鈥檛 want a tax policy that sees those who are struggling the most, hit the hardest.

And this was something that the Prime Minister made a point of saying in her very first speech on the steps of Downing Street.

So I鈥檒l be working over the coming months to continue delivering on that agenda.

We also want to make sure that the tax that is due - is paid.

We鈥檙e doing this both by making it easier for the honest majority to get their taxes right, and by making it harder for the dishonest minority to cheat the system.

And actually, what I think we鈥檙e seeing today is a big culture shift when it comes to tax鈥�

In fact HMRC鈥檚 latest survey on attitudes to tax bears this out鈥�

Because it shows that big businesses are increasingly adopting the mind-set that attempts to avoid tax just aren鈥檛 acceptable. Indeed, it can be counterproductive.

And I want to pay tribute to everyone in HMRC and in this room for helping to bring about that change.

Because the Department is really leading the way on tackling tax evasion and avoidance in any form, through a huge range of innovative initiatives.

From fining those advisers who help their clients avoid tax.

To increasing sanctions against the most persistent offenders in the hidden economy.

And I鈥檓 also delighted to announce today that we have collected 拢3 billion since 2014 from people using avoidance schemes, as HMRC put its new powers to use by issuing 鈥榓ccelerated payment notices鈥� to good effect.

That鈥檚 拢3 billion raised to deliver our public services.

As an example, that鈥檚 拢3 billion towards the 拢4.8 billion we鈥檙e investing on capital spending in Health every year for the remainder of the Parliament.

So HMRC should feel a real satisfaction from what they are achieving.

They are collecting record tax receipts year on year.

They are tackling the tax gap and increasing compliance.

And they are doing all of this at the same time as cutting costs.

There鈥檚 always more to do - but I want to say a huge well done to all those who have worked so hard to achieve this.

Our third priority, is making sure our taxes are supporting our businesses.

As someone who has worked closely with companies of all kinds as President of the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce, I鈥檝e seen first-hand just how much lower taxes can help our businesses grow.

So what we鈥檝e done already on corporation tax, on business rates, on employer contributions to National Insurance 鈥� these are all ways to back businesses, and our economy.

And it鈥檚 also important to businesses that taxes are simple!

So we鈥檙e stepping up our efforts in this area 鈥� with some fantastic appointments over the summer to the Office of Tax Simplification.

Making Tax Digital

It is these three priorities 鈥� making sure tax is fair, paid and competitive 鈥� which will remain at the heart of what this Government delivers on tax.

But what I鈥檓 also really excited about taking forward, is our plan to establish one of the best digital tax services in the world.

Offering businesses and individuals alike the kind of digital services they expect in the 21st century.

Now I know it鈥檚 not the case for everyone 鈥� and for those who can鈥檛 get online, we will make special provisions. But I鈥檓 sure that most people 鈥� in this room, and in this country 鈥� are used to doing both their personal, and their business admin, online.

And it鈥檚 just not right that our tax service should lag behind 鈥� stuck in an age of paperwork, letters and phone calls.

That鈥檚 why we want HMRC to offer all our customers a top quality, fully digital service alongside its existing services

The government have made the big billion pound investment to do it.

And in HMRC, not to mention all the other businesses and organisations represented in this room, we鈥檝e got the talent, know-how and determination to do it.

So at a future HMRC annual conference, what I鈥檒l expect to be saying is that 鈥渨e have done it鈥�.

Vision for the Future

It鈥檚 a bold vision for the future.

But we鈥檒l have made life more straightforward for millions of people and businesses.

Everyone will be able to log into their accounts online, at any time, from any of their devices.

They鈥檒l be able to see exactly what their situation is 鈥� whether it鈥檚 about their income tax, student loan repayments, national insurance contributions 鈥� you name it.

They鈥檒l be able to add information on their income and expenses, throughout the year, as they go along.

And they鈥檒l know what they owe as they go along 鈥� not get any, nasty or nice, surprises when the annual tax bill drops through the letterbox.

They will even be able to spread their payments by just paying as they go, if that鈥檚 easier for them.

I know this is a big change 鈥� I鈥檝e read your tweets!

Consultation and Collaboration

There鈥檚 a lot to get right over the next few years.

And we鈥檙e going to need your help to do so!

And it鈥檚 not only Making Tax Digital, I know we鈥檝e been keeping you busy over the summer by putting out a lot of different consultations 鈥� on everything from sanctions for people marketing tax avoidance schemes, to salary sacrifice changes.

These already reflect a lot of the feedback you鈥檝e been giving us 鈥� and we鈥檙e really grateful for that.

But we really want you to continue to share your insights and experiences, your priorities and your concerns.
Because we listen to what you have to say.

You told us that the smallest businesses might struggle to keep their records online 鈥� so we exempted over a million more landlords and small businesses from the proposed changes.

You also told us that even slightly larger businesses might need more time to prepare for the new system 鈥� so we have proposed deferring the introduction of any changes to 2019 for those businesses too.

So your views do matter and we need to hear them.

Conclusion

I guess these are exciting times in the world of tax, and I鈥檓 delighted to have a chance to play my own part in that.

It may not be a headline grabber, but we are setting about some really important reforms to our tax system. And I鈥檇 like to end by thanking both HMRC staff for their efforts to take us into that digital future鈥�

鈥�As well as all the other organisations, businesses and those of you here today who are helping to get us there.

I look forward to continuing to work with you.

Thank you very much.