Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2015 to Question 223222, how many staff made up the specialist inheritance tax compliance teams in each of the last five years for which records are available.

The number of full time equivalent staff in the specialist inheritance tax compliance teams for the last four years are:

2014/15 148
2013/14 158
2012/13 156
2011/12 153

Prior to 2011/12 the teams were organised and structured in a different way and comparable figures are not available.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has improved the process it used to ensure compliance with inheritance tax law. This has increased the team's efficiency which is reflected in the number of staff deployed.