HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS 0845 TELEPHONE NUMBERS

That this House notes the additional costs to callers of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) contact centre network incurred by the prevalence of 0845 numbers; welcomes the introduction of an 0345 number for its tax credit helpline; further notes that this only represents 40 per cent of total calls handled by HMRC's contact centre network; further notes that some of the remaining 0845 numbers include the child benefit helpline and the bereavement helpline; further notes that as part of the process of reviewing its next telephone contract when the current one expires in June 2013, HMRC will continue to investigate alternatives to 0845 numbers; and calls on the Government to introduce 0345 prefixes to all HMRC contact centre network numbers when its next telephone contract is negotiated.