HMRC to sell your info

Author
Discussion

santona1937

Original Poster:

736 posts

129 months

Police State

4,063 posts

219 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
This is not a country anymore.

It is a just a business opportunity.

NicD

3,281 posts

256 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
another slightly misleading thread title, wouldn't be PPE otherwise, I guess

'The personal financial data of millions of taxpayers could be sold to private firms under laws being drawn up by HM Revenue & Customs in a move branded "dangerous" by tax professionals and "borderline insane" by a senior Conservative MP.

Despite fears that it could jeopardise the principle of taxpayer confidentiality, the legislation would allow HMRC to release anonymised tax data to third parties including companies, researchers and public bodies where there is a public benefit. According to HMRC documents, officials are examining "charging options".

The government insists that there will be suitable safeguards on personal data. But the plans, being overseen by the Treasury minister David Gauke, are likely to provoke serious worries among privacy campaigners and MPs in the wake of public concern about the government's Care.data scheme – a plan to share "anonymised" medical records with third parties.'


Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
After all, if someone wants to rob a rich mark, they only have to look at what they drive or where they live.


Centurion07

10,381 posts

246 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
"HMRC would only share data where this would generate clear public benefits"

What do you suppose those would be then, since the info is being passed to private companies?

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Centurion07 said:
"HMRC would only share data where this would generate clear public benefits"

What do you suppose those would be then, since the info is being passed to private companies?
Company pays money - this benefits public.

Scares the s**t out of me this Govt, looking to sell anything and everything about us that is only given to them because we legally have to.

Murph7355

37,651 posts

255 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Centurion07 said:
"HMRC would only share data where this would generate clear public benefits"

What do you suppose those would be then, since the info is being passed to private companies?
Exactly.

And how much faith do we place in the HMRC being able to anonymise data properly? The Civil Service/Govt don't exactly have a glowing record with respect to technology.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Murph7355 said:
And how much faith do we place in the HMRC being able to anonymise data properly? The Civil Service/Govt don't exactly have a glowing record with respect to technology.
^^^ This.

audidoody

8,597 posts

255 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Is this the same HMRC that will soon be able to siphon money straight from your bank account which is OK as HMRC have never been known to miscalculate anyone's tax liability?

audidoody

8,597 posts

255 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Is this the same HMRC that will soon be able to siphon money straight from your bank account which is OK as HMRC have never been known to miscalculate anyone's tax liability?

Countdown

39,691 posts

195 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
NicD said:
Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
After all, if someone wants to rob a rich mark, they only have to look at what they drive or where they live.
Might be a tad embarrassing for some.......whistle

turbobloke

103,747 posts

259 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
Murph7355 said:
And how much faith do we place in the HMRC being able to anonymise data properly? The Civil Service/Govt don't exactly have a glowing record with respect to technology.
^^^ This.
yes

Also, how long would it be before not-anonymised-yet taxpayer data will be found on several disks left in the buffet car of the 0830 from Waterloo.

bigandclever

13,750 posts

237 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
NicD said:
Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
Finland (for one) has 'tax transparency'. Anyone can look at anyone else's tax records, albeit on paper at a tax office, not electronically on a database. If a person has earned more than Euro150,000 then their details can easily be found on the web, published on the main newspaper sites.

turbobloke

103,747 posts

259 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
bigandclever said:
NicD said:
Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
Finland (for one) has 'tax transparency'. Anyone can look at anyone else's tax records, albeit on paper at a tax office, not electronically on a database. If a person has earned more than Euro150,000 then their details can easily be found on the web, published on the main newspaper sites.
This seems entirely reasonable for public sector employees paid for through the public purse, publishing their salaries and tax affairs is a good idea. It already happens here with salaries. Data released recently by Francis Maude as part of the government's transparency drive showed that 819 civil servants and officials earn up to £330,000 a year each with 234 earning more than the Prime Minister's £142,500 a year salary. Kerching.

In terms of private sector jobs, paid for with private money, the clue as to how to proceed here is in the word 'private' as opposed to the word 'public' in the earlier case. HMRC already have draconian powers, a wider busybody charter going beyond the public sector would do nothing except placate busybodies, who need metaphorically slapping not encouraging.

Starfighter

4,908 posts

177 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Will there be an opt out as with the medical records idea?

pork911

7,087 posts

182 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Will it be 'anonymised' by just having your dob and postcode?

pcvdriver

1,819 posts

198 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Yet one more reason for Scotland to want to go indy.....

Silent1

19,761 posts

234 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
Murph7355 said:
And how much faith do we place in the HMRC being able to anonymise data properly? The Civil Service/Govt don't exactly have a glowing record with respect to technology.
^^^ This.
If you want to see how badly this can fail look up the time aol released the search data of a load of users that they had anonymised, people really enjoyed being called by newspapers once they had worked out each user!

santona1937

Original Poster:

736 posts

129 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Countdown said:
NicD said:
Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
After all, if someone wants to rob a rich mark, they only have to look at what they drive or where they live.
Might be a tad embarrassing for some.......whistle
Especially as apparently it is not possible to tell the rich from the not rich by their possessions.
..

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Outrageous. It isn't their data.

I am truly horrified by this proposal, it is wrong on every level, what happened to confidentiality.

I urge everyone to complain to their MP's.

turbobloke

103,747 posts

259 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
santona1937 said:
Countdown said:
NicD said:
Frankly, and I know I will stir a hornets nest by saying this, I think taxable income (including from corporates) should be public record so we could sniff out the cheats and evaders. Make it a criminal offence to use the information for marketing purposes.
After all, if someone wants to rob a rich mark, they only have to look at what they drive or where they live.
Might be a tad embarrassing for some.......whistle
Especially as apparently it is not possible to tell the rich from the not rich by their possessions.
..
That whistling looked like a confession from Countdown, maybe not then smile