I can hear the pips of the various avoiders and evaders squeak at any possibility of an open accounts based system like Norway's being introduced in the UK.

But with even a minimum of reflection it may have huge advantages in providing some insight into the real and probably scandalous extent of the divergence in tax payments by those millions who are disadvantaged by being locked into PAYE and for those fewer numbers who benefit hugely by not being constrained by a PAYE regime.

Equally if an open system is not adopted universally across nations, we might see that oft quoted "I cannot stand this country anymore and I am off to tax haven x,y or z", become a more frequent reality, with evaders and avoiders departing these shores.

But then, given a little more time, some disadvantages in the proposition might be found.