On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:21:49 +0100, Ice wrote:

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/press/0607tax.htm

Cheap Shots!
SHOOT INDUSTRY FRAUD
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to our new report, Cheap Shots.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies into the economic
impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be published in time
for the Country Land and Business Association Game Fair at Broadlands
in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.




Cheap Shots - Shooting industry tax 'irregularities' exposed
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to a new report by Animal Aid.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies (1) into the
economic impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be
published in time for the Country Land and Business Association Game
Fair at Broadlands in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.

The Revenue's letter to shooters lists numerous ways in which the
public purse is deprived of funds. These include:

misdescribing a commercial shoot as a non-profit making club activity
passing off shooting expenditure - on which VAT should be paid - as
being related to food production, which is zero VAT rated.
Failure to register for VAT
As well as VAT irregularities, many shooting businesses also dodge
paying local taxes.

Because pheasants and partridges are reared for 'sport shooting'
rather than for food, those involved in their mass production must pay
business rates. However, hundreds of such businesses fail to do so.
Animal Aid has reported dozens of them to the Valuation Office Agency
(VOA), which will lead to the collection of millions of pounds. But,
notes Cheap Shots, the evidence shows that the majority of game bird
producers are still evading their duty to pay business rates, as a
result of inaction by the VOA, the Treasury and local authorities.

Says Animal Aid Director, Andrew Tyler:

"Not content with killing animals for pleasure, the shooting industry
pretends that its bloody activities somehow benefit the public purse.
The reverse is the case. Shoots impoverish rural communities, in
particular, by failing to pay their full share of local and national
taxes. "Game" shooting is so publicly contentious, it requires six
major organisations to defend it. Despite their combined annual
turnover exceeding £23 million, these organisations are engaged in a
lost cause."

Download Cheap Shots
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pdfs/cheapshots.pdf

Notes to Editor
The Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC) report 'into the
impact of sporting shooting to (sic) the UK economy and the wider
benefits of the industry' has been commissioned by the Countryside
Alliance. PACEC is a Cambridge-based economic consultancy firm. It was
used by the CA in the months running up to the passage of the Hunting
Bill and issued a report forecasting significant job losses in the
event of a hunting ban. There is no evidence of such losses occurring.
For more information, contact Animal Aid's Andrew Tyler on 01732
364546.
For full background on animal research, see the pheasant index.
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pheasants.

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