Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue will work more closely together, the government announced on 15 February 2000.
The new proposals include co-operation on action against the black economy, education schemes, joint seminars and open days, and developing common standards in areas such as electronic filing.
There are unconfirmed rumours that the government is investigating a merger of the two departments. This has always been rejected before, even though Customs and Excise is itself a merger of two old government offices.
[2000]