Harriett Baldwin
Main Page: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)Department Debates - View all Harriett Baldwin's debates with the HM Treasury
(13 years, 8 months ago)
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Mr Gauke
I am grateful for that question. It is absolutely right, particularly where those larger sums are involved, that HMRC deals with people sympathetically, and in order for it to do so there needs to be proper communication. That is a challenge for HMRC, but it is absolutely right that it focuses its resources on this matter.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
A couple of years ago, HMRC lost my personal information and that of 25 million other people on the child benefit disc, and in my constituency surgeries each week, HMRC problems consistently generate the most casework. In opening the boot—or the bonnet—of the car that is the computer system at HMRC, what other problems is the new mechanic going to find?
Mr Gauke
HMRC has faced many problems and challenges over recent years: a merger, coping with a complicated tax credits system, and a number of other issues. We need to be realistic about what can be done with our tax system—tax simplification is indeed important—and allow HMRC to focus on its key concerns and do the very important job that it has to do.