Developments of interest are outlined

• The guidance to help recognise genuine HMRC contact, phishing emails and phishing text messages has been updated
• HMRC have launched an online service to apply for a repayment of the higher rates of stamp duty land tax for additional properties on the sale of a taxpayer’s previous main home
• HMRC have confirmed that the Scottish Parliament’s prospective powers over income tax bands, and increased powers over income tax rate setting, will commence on 6 April 2017. HMRC have published a draft statutory instrument to make certain consequential technical changes
• The annual chargeable amounts for the annual tax on enveloped dwellings for the 2017–18 chargeable period have been published. The new charges will apply from 1 April 2017
• A number of participating countries have released a statement on the initiative for the systematic sharing of beneficial ownership information
• Guidance in relation to the changes to the conditions to be an ‘overseas pension scheme’ and a ‘recognised overseas pension scheme’ is available
• Guidance on profits from a trade of dealing in or developing UK land has been published. This guidance note provides details on profits from a trade of dealing in or developing UK land and should be read alongside the legislation and explanatory notes which were published on 5 July 2016
• An update on the work of the Panama Papers Taskforce has been published
• HMRC have published a commencement order triggering the start date for new powers already included in legislation the Finance Act 2016. The related HMRC press release highlights that this law means that from 1 January 2017 HMRC can charge civil penalties on individuals or corporates who take deliberate action to help others with offshore tax evasion or non-compliance.