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Tax Credits

I am always happy to listen to the thoughtful points that the right hon. Gentleman makes, and we had this discussion in the Adjournment debate. He suggests that there is a fundamental problem with the system, but I explained in the Adjournment debate on 7 June why that is not the case. I remind him that 20 million people are in the system and that take-up is still increasing. At the beginning of today’s statement, and in all the other statements and debates, I have said that I accept the need for improvements, as hon. Members have acknowledged. I have pressed Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to look at the award notice, as well as communications, explanations given to claimants and advice on their rights, and I have instructed it to streamline procedures. However, the statistics published by Office for National Statistics do not indicate a fundamental problem in the system.