The UKGCOA has had an ongoing, and positive, dialogue with the Treasury for some time in an attempt to agree an acceptable solution to VAT distortion in golf.
Andy Lloyd-Skinner, CEO of the UK Golf Course Owners Association, continues, “In September, we received a disappointing email from our Treasury contact following an analysis of our economic and legal justifications for a resolution to VAT distortion in golf, by HMRC. The Treasury receives advice from HMRC analysts before making recommendations to Ministers on such matters.
“However, the response was disappointing only because HMRC analysts had clearly not thoroughly reviewed the data we had provided and therefore had not responded to the detailed analysis and conclusions of KPMG’s economists and legal team. We have made it clear that we are dissatisfied with the HMRC’s failure to respond appropriately.
“Therefore, with input from KPMG’s legal team and indirect tax director, I sent the following email to the Treasury along with relevant attachments including the UKGCOA’s recent complaint to the European Commission, which we submitted in September.
“The UKGCOA will continue to work towards a solution in collaboration with the Treasury, but we have also commenced the more formal process of challenging the UK Government’s 1999 Sports Order through the EC complaints process.”
UKGCOA www.ukgcoa.com