ICAS – the professional body of accountants – is in an interesting place when it comes to the debate over Scottish Independence.
As probably the single largest body of financial and tax experts in Scotland, with members throughout the world, ICAS has the depth of knowledge and experience to inform the debate, highlighting opportunities, pitfalls, administrative issues and behavioural responses.
ICAS has a duty to act in the public interest, which means that we should contribute information and insights to the debate, based on the considerable interest and experience of our members in technical areas such as taxation, pensions, governance and regulatory matters. The material on this page asks questions in these key areas that those on all sides and interests in the debate should address.
Pensions Paper
Scotland’s Pensions Future: What Pensions Arrangements Would Scotland Need?
ICAS has published a new report, Scotland’s Pensions Future: What Pensions Arrangements Would Scotland Need?, a major contribution to the debate on Scotland’s future, its meaning and the implications for those in Scotland, the rest of the UK and beyond.
You may also be interested in an infographic that accompanies this report.
Tax Papers
Response to the Scottish Government: A Consultation on Tax Management
Scotland’s Tax Future; What Tax System Would Scotland Want?
What kind of devolved tax system would be appropriate or desirable for Scotland, and what are the foundations on which such a system would be based, are just some of the topics examined by a discussion paper from ICAS.
Scotland’s Tax Future: The Practicalities of Tax Devolution
ICAS advises that taxpayer profiling will be a vital start to understanding how any changes in allowances, tax structures, reliefs or rates will impact on total tax paid.
Tax Issues Arising
from the Scotland Act 2012
This submission aims to summarise our work so far in the area of the devolution, and potential further devolution, of tax powers to the Scottish Parliament, set out at length in two thought leadership papers above. It also provides observations on the progress achieved to date in the consultations on the devolved taxes and tax management provisions and suggests areas where resources and attention might be focussed in the coming months.
The General Principles
of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Bill
This submission offers ICAS members experience and insights from the design and operation of other UK taxes.