There are two data sets in relation to the two experiments conducted under the research. The first contains actual scores and declared scores in a self-reported laboratory pen and paper maths test under three treatment conditions with different information about the performance of other students. The second contains scores from on-line quiz conducted with some questions geared towards subjects area of expertise, and other questions geared away from it. The main research questions were to test if experimental evidence supported a model of lying containing a reference point to reflect a cost of lying in terms of a deviation from credibility as well as in terms of the size of lie. The tests were conducted in relation to an experiment whereby a reference point was set exogenously through social information (experiment 1) or endogenously through a subject's degree of perceived expertise (experiment 2). Good tax design and administration are central to the functioning of the economy. Taxes are important determinants of economic behaviour, and good implementation can significantly increase economic and social welfare. The role of the Tax Administration Research Centre is to deliver research that enhances tax policy and provides lasting benefit to the economy. There are many research tools that can contribute to this goal but the greatest success will be achieved by combining a range of research methodologies and disciplines. The Centre will unite researchers from two institutions with distinguished reputations for research into tax administration and tax design. Complementary abilities and methodologies will be brought together to address a wide range of intersecting research projects. The research methodologies will include economic modelling, econometric analysis, experimentation, numerical simulation, and qualitative analysis. In undertaking its work the Centre will make extensive use of the HMRC/HMT Datalab to permit innovative empirical work to be undertaken. Some examples of the research projects to be conducted at the Centre are: Risk-based auditing and taxpayers' responses will investigate the reaction of taxpayers to audits, and how this will change the pattern of compliance behaviour. The project will study whether taxpayers learn about the audit strategy over time, and how a risk-based strategy should be updated to take this into account. The project will link with laboratory experiments on compliance and with research on the role of tax advisers. The results will increase the return on resources allocated to auditing. Decomposing the elasticity of taxable income will determine how the response of individuals to taxes summarised by the "elasticity of taxable income" can be separated into the channels through which individuals respond (e.g. reduced work effort, increased pension contributions or charitable contributions, moving income abroad, taking income in other forms). The results will enable greater focus of tax interventions and improved design of tax structure. Consequences of pre-population will study the implications of pre-populated tax returns for compliance. If the pre-populated form shows an income level below actual income this might convey an impression to the taxpayer that they can successfully evade. The research will implement an experiment that randomises the allocation of pre-populated returns. The outcome will advise on how best to proceed with the implementation of pre-population. Large business (Intermediaries) relationship with HMRC will use qualitative depth interviews address the extent to which new initiatives have altered working practices in intermediary firms and their clients' businesses, the HMRC understanding of tax avoidance practices, and the appropriateness of current policy strategies currently. This will enhance understanding of the effects of HMRC operational policy and improve administration. Understanding the determinants of customer experience will link HMRC survey data on customer experience with objective measures of service delivery standards, third-party information, and tax return data in Datalab. The linked data will be used to analyse the systematic determinants of subjective customer experience and will show which aspects of HMRC delivery generate a positive customer experience, and which do not. The Centre will enhance tax administration and tax design. It has ambitious plans to become the leading international centre with a central role in research and in building research capability in tax analysis through the training of PhD students and training of research staff.

Experiment 1: 9 sessions of up to 32 subjects recruited from the University of Exeter undergraduate subject pool invited to the laboratory. Experiment conducted using pen and paper. Experiment 2: 180 subjects studying economics or history from Exeter, Royal Holloway, York, Essex and Nottingham invited to take part the experiment through the laboratory booking systems at the respective universities. Experiment conducted on-line through bespoke system.