A taxing task

The news that the UK coalition government is to create an Office for Tax Simplification in order to simplify the tax system for businesses and individuals (your report, 21 July) should be cautiously welcomed.

Under the last government the book of tax regulations increased from 3,000 to 11,000 pages and the tax system faced today is incredibly complex, hindering private sector recovery. But the government should practice what it preaches as it has already complicated the tax system by changing reliefs and the capital gains tax regime in its emergency Budget.

It is all well and good to set up a body to try and simplify the current complicated tax system, but it makes little sense to do this on one hand, while further complicating the system on the other.

ALEX ORR

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh