HMRC keeps up data demands on clients suspected of tax evasion

So-called ‘production orders' are issued by HMRC's Criminal Investigation Directorate to force third parties, such as accountants, lawyers and other professional services firms, to provide it with potentially incriminating information about their clients' affairs. According to RPC, the taxman is increasingly beginning criminal investigations against taxpayers who have participated in tax-planning arrangements designed to reduce their tax liability. These arrangements can include employee benefit trusts and film finance investments, the firm said, and issuing a production order is one way...