The Law Society's revenue law committee was established in 1965 and is one of the longest running specialist committees.

Its terms of reference are to keep under review and to promote improvements in revenue law practice and procedure.

To reflect the diverse nature of tax law, there are specialist sub-committees which deal with capital taxes, corporation tax, income tax, international tax, petroleum tax, stamp duty, VAT and duties.The committee has two main functions -- to represent the profession's interests in tax matters and to promote better legislation and policy by commenting on draft legislation and on consultation documents issued by the Treasury and the Inland Revenue.The committee was particularly active on behalf of the profession during the introduction of self assessment and the changes to cash accounting.

Under the present government, the committee has devoted much time to commenting on new legislation.

The main committee and its sub-committees consist of solicitors and barristers who specialise in tax law and can therefore present non-partisan views on any issues within its remit.Finance BillEach year following the Budget announcement and the subsequent publication of the Finance Bill, the committee produces a memorandum of representations.

This forms the basis of briefing notes to MPs on the standing committee during the passage of the legislation through parliament.The committee has recently published its memorandum on the Finance Bill 2001.

It has expressed concern at the apparent haste with which the Budget and the Finance Bill were produced and the lack of debate in parliament, the continued length and complexity of tax legislation and the lack of concern by ministers regarding the long-term consequences for the tax system and for tax legislation.Law reformThe committee published its law reform memorandum prior to last autumn's pre-Budget report.

Every year the committee makes representations outlining numerous problems with tax law and urges the government to give consideration to its proposals for reform of the tax system, as there are too many areas where the tax system fails to reflect the realities of modern, commercial and private activities.

The committee has begun to consider which law reform issues should be raised this year.Tax law rewriteIn December 1995 the Inland Revenue presented a report to parliament on the scope for simplifying the UK tax system.

The main recommendation was that UK direct tax legislation should be written in clearer, simpler language.This led to the tax law rewrite project being established in November 1996.

Much work has already been undertaken and to date 11 exposure drafts have been published for consultation.

The committee has been supportive of the project throughout, being closely involved in its consultations, and was pleased to welcome the Capital Allowances Act 2001, the first Bill from the project to achieve royal assent.

Most recently, the income tax sub-committee has responded to exposure draft 11 on employment income.Current issuesThe committee responds to a number of consultations throughout the year and has supported the representations with meetings and/or correspondence with appropriate representatives of the Inland Revenue.

There have been numerous consultations arising from the recent Budget, many dealing with ongoing issues in the corporate tax field.The committee has submitted papers on withholding tax on intra-UK corporate interest, Budget proposals for increasing innovation and a new regime for taxation of intellectual property, goodwill and other intangible assets.

In all of these areas the committee has responded to earlier consultation papers and urged the Inland Revenue to take the time to get the measures right.

Therefore, the committee was pleased that these measures were not included in this year's Finance Bill, instead being the subject of further consultation.The committee is concerned by the proposals in the draft Proceeds of Crime Bill to amend the tax legislation in a way that would delegate the Inland Revenue functions to the director of a new agency.

Such a move could result in inefficiency and unfa ir treatment of taxpayers.

It is proposed that this Bill will be on the statute book by the end of the year.

The committee will lobby against these proposals in the forthcoming months.REVENUE LAW COMMITTEE FACT FILECHAIRMANEdward Troup, Simmons & Simmons, London, was made partner in 1984.

He was head of the corporate and indirect taxes group until 1995, when he was appointed special adviser on tax to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

He returned to the firm as head of tax strategy in 1997, which involves him in transactional tax work and advising clients on issues of tax policy and tax planning.

He has been chairman of the committee since 2000.

He has written, lectured and broadcast widely on tax matters.COMMITTEE MEMBERSGraham Airs, Slaughter and May, LondonJohn Avery Jones, Speechly Bircham, LondonMalachy Cornwell-Kelly, Dechert, LondonRon Downhill, Berwin Leighton, LondonMalcolm Gammie, 1 Essex Court, London (co-opted member)Mike Hardwick, Linklaters & Alliance, LondonAnn Humphrey, LondonChris Jarman, Payne Hicks Beach, LondonDavid Lewis, Allen & Overy, LondonMichael Mitchell, Withers, LondonPeter Nias, McDermott, Will & Emery, LondonChristopher Norfolk, Norton Rose, LondonChristopher Preston, Watson Farley & Williams, LondonGary Richards, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LondonFrancis Sandison, Freshfields, LondonRichard Stratton, Travers Smith Braithwaite, LondonSam Wilson, Birketts, Ipswich (Law Society Council member)-- While the committee does not deal with specific tax problems of members of the Law Society, it is interested to hear of problems which solicitors or their clients may have had with particular areas of tax law, where policy or practice could be improved.For more information about the work of the committee, contact Louise Speke, Policy Adviser, at the Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL, or e-mail: louise.speke@lawsociety.org.uk