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HM Revenue and Customs

My Lords, on the latter point, the TNT courier service was used for this delivery. It will be recognised that other deliverers—in particular, Royal Mail—were in some difficulty at the time because there was a suspension of some services. However, as I have sought to make clear all afternoon, the failure was in the procedure relating to the disk and its security and the fact that it was entrusted to a courier service, which can be of a high standard but is, nevertheless, an external service, and we all know that, by definition, there are limited guarantees in that. That was the process. Where the fault lay is still to be identified, but clearly responsibility rests with the person who pursued this action and the question is whether, in carrying out that action, they followed proper departmental procedures. I tried, however inadequately, to answer my noble friend on a question a moment ago about cuts. I do not think that cuts have anything to do with this. Of course, economies are being effected across the government service, but that can happen while guaranteeing the service. It is management’s role to ensure that, otherwise the cuts would not be justified. I assure my noble friend that due process will be followed in the department on any development.