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HM Revenue & Customs has announced that there will be 30 new taskforces to target specific business sectors in specific geographic locations where they have evidence of tax evasion.

The intended targets include:

• The 'rag' trade - wholesale market for clothes including import, rather than shops
• The motor trade - here we understand that HMRC is evaluating all aspects of the industry, including dealers and garages
• Indoor and outdoor markets

Whilst more detailed announcements will follow, we also understand that HMRC has considered much of the 2011/12 taskforce activity to be highly successful, and that at least some of the 30 'targets' in 2012/13 will be the same business sector as in 2011/12 but in new geographic locations. 

The 2011/12 targets were in summary

• restaurants and fast food outlets 
• property businesses
• construction and
• scrap metal dealerships

HMRC has already made it clear that they intend to look closely at construction and the Home Improvement' sector this year, in terms of its 'amnesties' such as the new Electricians' Tax Safe Plan, followed up by further enforcement activity.