Michael Fabricant today (9th January) sponsored a Bill in the House of
Commons to assist the self-employed in their dealings with the Inland
Revenue. At present individuals must prove, and re-prove, their
self-employment, but as the Inland Revenue relies on changing case law to
define self employment this causes many difficulties for our self employed
constituents. Not least the burden of proof rests with them, and not the
Revenue.

"This is wrong" says Michael Fabricant. "It is the self-employed in the
West Midlands who are the seed corn of the large employers of tomorrow.
When the Government introduced their infamous ‘IR 35’ which forced the
self-employed to become employees, many of my constituents working in
Information Technology in Lichfield were either driven out of business or
driven abroad.

"This new Bill would remove this reliance on evolving case law, by
introducing a self employed register. The registration could be challenged
for up to 6 months, but the burden of proof would fall on the Government,
not the individual. The benefits would include: providing everyone with
the right to choose their own working status, whilst emphasising their
responsibilities; providing much greater certainty for the self employed;
and gets the Government off small businesses’ backs."

The Bill received its First Reading this afternoon and will be considered
again in April.