Taxation and Political Committee

Chairman: Sir James Scott

Adrian Baird
James Birch
Lord Derby
Edward Harley, President of the HHA
James Hervey-Bathurst
Charles King-Farlow
Meriel Laverack
William Massey, QC
Giles Mounsey-Heysham
James Saunders Watson
Michael Sayer
Rhoddy Voremberg
Martin Webster
Charles Wyld

Committee Secretary: Nick Way, Director General of the HHA

Senior Inland Revenue officials meet the Chairman of the Political and Taxation Committee at Eastnor Castle Ultimately it is taxation that affects the interests of HHA Members more than any other external matter. Here the HHA can be of the greatest assistance to its Members, as it can take action collectively that could seldom be attempted by individuals.

To enable this, the HHA has assembled a formidable collection of expertise. The tax committee includes leading exponents in this field and has, over the years, become widely recognised as an expert body establishing a reputation as such with government Departments.

As well as professionals the committee includes owners who are proficient in political, financial and taxation matters. The committee makes submissions to the Chancellor and maintains a close working relationship with the Treasury, including Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs as well as with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and amenity societies' taxation committees.

The tax committee, amongst other things, has been much involved in (a) helping to mitigate the effects of the new Conditional Exemption measures introduced in 1998, (b) lobbying for improved tax treatment of Heritage Maintenance Funds, (c) lobbying for a new relief against income tax for the maintenance of historic properties and (d) attempting to reduce VAT rates for the repairs to historic buildings.