Written question asked by David Laws (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 12 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 19 October 2004. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 October 2004 on behalf of the Treasury.

Treasury

Question: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the number of tax credit awards made since 2002 which have contained errors due to the misreading of the completed claims forms by Inland Revenue computers; and if he will make a statement; what his estimate is of the number of Inland Revenue errors leading to inaccurate tax credit awards for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement; what his estimate is of the error rate for tax credit awards for (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. - Ref to 22 March 2004, 419 c666W.

Answer: Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his estimate is of the number of tax credit awards made since 2002 which have contained errors due to the misreading of the completed claims forms by Inland Revenue computers; and if he will make a statement; [191788] (2) what his estimate is of the number of Inland Revenue errors leading to inaccurate tax credit awards for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement; [191789] (3) what his estimate is of the error rate for tax credit awards for (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. [191790] Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 22 March 2004, Official Report, column 666W.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 425 c587-8W; 191788;191789;191790
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Computers Inland Revenue Forms Maladministration Overpayments Welfare tax credits
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk