HER MAJESTY'S REVENUE AND CUSTOMS

Motion Text

That this House notes with serious concern the continuing threat to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices and jobs in Cornwall; believes that closure of HMRC offices will have an adverse impact on local communities and vulnerable individuals; notes the efforts of HMRC staff to reduce fraud in the tax system; believes that reducing staff numbers will cause more fraud to go undetected, proving the reduction to be a false economy; further notes the loss of 25 million people's personal data; condemns the Government for describing massive systemic failure as junior official error; believes that the recent data loss crisis will result in an increase in child benefit enquiries, as well as additional security checks; further believes that, given this latest incident, it is entirely inappropriate for the Government to put more pressure on staff by continuing with job cuts and office closures; and calls upon the Government to reassess and reconsider its proposals in this light.