Review of the OTS

The Treasury has launched a call for evidence to seek views on the effectiveness of the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS).

FA 2016 s 188 requires the Treasury to conduct a review of the effectiveness of the OTS in performing its functions every five years. The first review is due before 28 November 2021. The review will consider both the effectiveness of the OTS over the past five years and also further steps that should be taken to enhance its effectiveness in the future.

As part of the review, the Treasury is consulting on the following areas:

• the OTS’s advisory and review functions in FA 2016 and the OTS framework document;
• resourcing, funding and governance of the OTS;
• the OTS’s relationships with HMRC and the Treasury;
• OTS work to date, including both chancellor-commissioned and own-initiative reports;
• impact of the OTS’s work on both the government’s approach to simplification and on wider public debate; and
• further steps which could be taken to enhance the effectiveness of the OTS.

The call for evidence closes on 6 July 2021 and the outcomes of the review will be published in autumn 2021.