STANDARDS OF SERVICE AT HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS

That this House is extremely concerned about the serious delays in the issuing of tax repayments by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC); notes that HMRC regularly fails to meet its own four-week target for the completion of security checks; further notes that telephone and mail enquiries are frequently unanswered, and that the centralisation of the HMRC service has created confusion within the HMRC about which offices and individuals are handling each case, with the result that they are often neglected; further notes that this poor standard of service has come about following the Government's closure of local HMRC offices across the country on the grounds of improving efficiency; shares the dismay of those affected, particularly at a time when small businesses and the self-employed can least afford them; believes that this level of service is unacceptable; and calls on the Government to take immediate action to ensure that HMRC delivers a proper standard of service.