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Finance Bill

My Lords, as I understand it, it is not an issue of fraud. I understand that the accounts have not been approved because of the way in which Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs had dealt with the matter. From the Front Bench opposite I warned at the time about having a system where the Inland Revenue is asked by the Chancellor to distribute money and then distributes far too much, causing endless misery to the poorest members of our society in getting the money back when it has overpaid. My understanding is that that is the point at issue with regard to the accounts. It is an absolute disgrace, and the record could not be clearer: I warned that this would happen.