WORCESTERSHIRE businesses are being urged to suggest how the Treasury could simplify the tax system to help the UK be more competitive. Andy Richens, technical tax director of accountants Bishop Fleming, which has an office in College Yard, next to Worcester Cathedral, has been appointed as a fixed-term policy adviser for the Office of Tax Simplification, which is seeking ideas for an initial report on tax simplification to be presented ahead of the next Budget announcement.

"The Office of Tax Simplification has been asked by the Chancellor to conduct a review of how the Government could improve the competitiveness of the UK tax system," said Mr Richens. "Right now, the UK is ranked 10th overall for doing business by the World Bank, but is ranked 14th for taxation and 28th for starting a new business. The Government wants to make the UK a better place for doing business, and wants recommendations on tax simplification. Those recommendations will focus on ways in which smaller businesses could benefit from changes to tax administration. HMRC has already made a number of improvements, but business owners will know of more ways in which the burden of tax administration could be reduced. I want to hear those ideas and put them forward to the Chancellor."