Deloitte informs us today that many companies are in danger of leaving it far too late to complete their HMRC Form 42 returns by the 6 July deadline date. The form (as if you needed reminding) relates to share-based payments to employees but it's a complex beast, as Deloitte also tells us that only 11% of companies are "very confident" that they have completed it correctly.

Coincidentally, just the other day we met a finance director from a small, Aim-listed company who explained that he was training a new member of  his finance team and asked him to start getting to work on the Form 42. This was a particularly challenging exercise, this FD told us, not least because the guidance notes for this single form are 52 pages long. And oh, by the way, if you're late or you mess it up, it's the director responsible who is liable to HMRC penalties, not the company.

Other examples of bonkers bureaucracy are very welcome...