HMRC have released updated statistics on tax avoidance disclosures made up to September 2008. The data includes disclosures made for National Insurance Contributions which came within the ambit of the tax avoidance disclosure rules with effect from May 2007.

When introduced, the disclosure regime was limited in scope to schemes concerning employment or certain financial products (described as ‘employment’ and ‘financial’ in the statistics tables). This was widened with effect from 1 August 2006 to the whole of income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax. But a series of ‘hallmarks’ limit the need to disclose all tax efficient schemes. The intention of the hallmarks is to limit disclosure to only those schemes that are new, innovative, or of specific concern.

From 1 May 2007 arrangements that give an NIC advantage also became disclosable providing they are within a hallmark.

Full details of the statistics are available at
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/avoidance/avoidance-disclosure-statistics.htm