Finance Ministers from the G20 Group of leading economies have met in Washington to discuss boosting the IMF’s resources, after it was revealed that IMF managing director, Christine Lagarde, wants to boost the organisations lending capacity by £250 billion.
The call by Lagarde to increase the IMF pot is understood to have put increasing pressure on the Chancellor to contribute more, with Lagarde herself saying: “The UK is a founding father of the IMF. And the UK is there for international grave situations. It's always been a very loyal partner when it's tough.
“But it's in their interest. Because if the key partners of a country like the UK are in very bad shape, they are bad clients. It's not in the interest of the UK to have a weak Euro.”
Previously, the Chancellor admitted that “there is a case" for increasing the IMF pot, saying he would have to "think very hard" about rejecting any request; although he did warn the IMF that the UK stands ready to boost its contribution, but only if certain conditions are met.
It is understood, should the Chancellor feel it is appropriate, he is able to commit an extra £10 billion without approval from Parliament, although Treasury sources have stressed that any deal has to be done at a “global level” and it must meet strict conditions.
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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( 3 / 95 )Under a revised deal signed yesterday (April 18th 2012), tax evaders with secret accounts in Switzerland will pay more than originally planned to legitimise their holdings.
Revenue and Customs have demanded that Switzerland increase the maximum one off penalty imposed from thirty-four percent to forty-one percent; following a similar revision between the Switzerland Germany tax deal.
It is believed that the change in legislation will significantly increase the tax take received from the Swiss deal, with sources claiming the total revenue will be above the Treasury’s previous estimates of between £4 billion and £7 billion.
The amendments to the deal will see the minimum rate payable for the one-off penalty increase from nineteen percent to twenty-one percent; whilst higher rates will increase to the full forty-one percent – which will apply depending on the size of the account and the rate of capital growth.
Under the deal, which was introduced in the Finance Bill, those who have previously avoided paying tax will be given the opportunity to regularise their affairs by paying the one-off penalty payment, followed by withholding tax on future income on their accounts.
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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( 2.9 / 96 )A report issued by the Treasury Select Committee, which has been published today (April 18th 2012), has been highly critical of last month’s budget; claiming that the estimates used by the Chancellor to justify axing of the fifty-pence top tax rate are “highly uncertain”.
The Treasury Select Committee have claimed within their report that the cost of reducing the level of top tax from fifty-pence to forty-five pence “could be significantly more or less” than the £110 million citied by the Chancellor; adding: “The cost and benefits of reducing the additional tax rate to 45p are both highly uncertain, and could be significantly more or less than the cost included in the Budget.
"We recommend that HM Revenue & Customs publish in due course a comprehensive assessment of the effect on the Exchequer of the new 45p rate."
Along with being critical of the decision to reduce the top rate tax, the Committee have also cited within their report the need for the government to offset the pain quantitative easing is causing savers, by saying ore information was needed on the effects of the £325 billion of new money effectively "printed" by the Bank of England.
“Loose monetary policy, achieved through quantitative easing and low interest rates, has redistributional effects, particularly penalising savers, those with 'drawdown pensions' and those retiring now.
“The Bank of England has argued that some of those effects may be mitigated by the increase in asset prices stimulated by quantitative easing. While the aggregate of savers and pensioners may have received some benefit from higher asset prices, there will be many individuals who will not have benefited.
“The Bank of England, after, where appropriate, consultation with the Treasury, should provide its estimate of the overall benefit and loss to pensioners and savers from quantitative easing.”
Following the highly critical report, a Treasury spokesperson has said they will “study the report and respond in due course.”
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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( 3 / 98 )The inflation rate within the UK rose during March, as a result of higher food and clothing prices, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of England will not provide further stimulus for the economy.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose from 3.4 percent in February to 3.5 percent last month, with the slight increase putting a halt on the five-month run of declines, which has seen the CPI inflation rate fall from its peak of 5.2 percent in September 2011.
The Office for National Statistics have attributed the rise in inflation to the rise in food and clothing prices, with supermarkets last year during February and March heavily discounting, which saw food prices fall by a record 1.5 percent during February and March 2011 – this year, the prices have only fallen by 0.3 percent.
An increase in inflation will heighten the concerns of the Bank of England policy makers, who have recently expressed concerns that the inflation rate may not fall as much as hoped; and have also indicated a reluctance to sanction another bout of quantitative easing when the current programme is complete in May.
More worryingly for the Bank of England, is that the core consumer price inflation, which strips out the volatile food, energy, tobacco and alcohol components – increased slightly to 2.5 percent.
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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( 3.1 / 112 )An independent forecasting group has claimed that although the UK has avoided a double-dip recession, the economy is set to stall for the next twelve months.
According to the group, although the Bank of England’s monetary policy measures have boosted confidence, big businesses need to fuel the growth.
The group claim that UK corporates have stockpiled cash on their balance sheets and now need to increase investment; as this chief economic advisor for the group says there is only so much central banks could do.
He added: “The problem is that they can keep us away from disinflation and depression but they can't really pump any more in than that for fear of inflation.
“Business investment has picked up nicely in the US but UK companies remain extremely risk averse, which is sapping strength from the economy.
“Until these companies stop stashing the cash and start increasing levels of investment and dividends, the economy will remain on the critical list.”
The warning comes after the group forecast “dismal” growth of 0.4% during 2012, rising to 1.5% next year; which differs considerably from the predictions provided by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which recently suggested the economy would grow by 0.8% during this year and 2% next year.
For more information, please contact Glazers, Chartered Accountants London or visit www.glazers.co.uk
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