The Chartered Institute of Taxation thinks it is important that voters can access information to help them better understand Holyrood’s tax powers, so they can hold their representatives accountable. However, polls conducted by the Diffley Partnership for CIOT have consistently shown a low level of awareness/understanding of Holyrood’s tax powers. Devolution provides an opportunity for Scotland to engage with and inform the public about tax. The Scottish Government’s pre-pandemic work on a tax communications strategy needs to be reinstated. The Finance and Public Administration Committee may want to consider awareness issues if it revisits the ‘Scottish Approach to Taxation’ inquiry as recommended by its predecessor. Other areas to help with better understanding of the tax system could include consideration of the role of the education system in promoting tax education and improved visibility of the devolved tax powers in the parliamentary calendar/cycle. About the CIOT The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) is the leading professional body in the UK for advisers dealing with all aspects of taxation. We are a charity and our primary purpose is to promote education in taxation with a key aim of achieving a more efficient and less complex tax system for all.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation