Oral Answers to Questions

Christina Rees Excerpts

Tuesday 25th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Simon Kirby]

Yes, he can.

[Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab/Co-op)]

10. What steps his Department is taking to compensate people affected by incorrect withdrawal of tax credits as a result of errors by Concentrix.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jane Ellison)]

If anyone feels their tax credits have been incorrectly withdrawn owing to errors by Concentrix, they should urgently contact Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, which will review all complaint cases and will, and indeed does, pay redress where appropriate.

[Christina Rees]

Labour welcomes the cancellation of the Concentrix contract and the fact that it will be administered in-house by HMRC staff. Will the Minister reassure the thousands of single parents and families, many in my Neath constituency, that their tax credits erroneously stopped by Concentrix will be reinstated immediately so their children can be kept safe and warm and not go unfed as winter approaches?

[Jane Ellison]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to draw the House’s attention to the importance of prioritising vulnerable claimants. HMRC held a further drop-in for colleagues recently, on 19 October; it was attended by 15 Members, and a number of complaints and issues were raised, which we are on the way to resolving.

On restarting claims, the key is to get the right information. HMRC has taken back a vast number of cases, and I will say more about this tomorrow. The priority is to get the right information, to get claims started again as soon as the facts are established.