The Government has performed a U-turn on proposed new deadlines for tax return submissions.

As part of the Budget in March, Lord Carter of Coles had recommended advancing the filing deadlines for self assessment tax returns.

Starting from 2008, it was proposed that paper tax returns would have to be submitted by September 30 and electronic ones by November 30.

However, following an outcry from advisers and taxpayer groups, Lord Carter has confirmed he will now recommend that the deadline for electronic returns should stay as it is present - at January 31 - but that paper returns should be submitted by October 31.

Simon Littlejohns, tax partner at accountants and business advisers PKF, said: "It is very brave of Lord Carter to admit that he had underestimated the impact of the proposals."