27 MARCH 1993, Page 26

Tax tangles

Sir: Paul Johnson has combined his defence of John Birt with an attack on the income tax system (And another thing, 20 March). But in writing, 'Birt voluntarily filed his tax return for publication at Companies House', Johnson has betrayed ignorance of the facts of the case. What Mr Birt filed at Companies House was the accounts of his company, John Birt Productions Ltd. Mr Birt's tax returns have not been published.

It says much for the integrity of the income tax system and the Inland Revenue, in which I have the honour to serve, that Johnson can cite no case of breach of confi- dentiality by the Revenue more recent than that alluded to by Brougham in 1816.