§ Norman LambTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many self-assessment tax-returns were received by the Inland Revenue, and how many of these that have subsequently been lost(a) in the current financial year to date and (b) in each previous year of the operation of the self-assessment system; and how many complaints were received by the Inland Revenue from taxpayers who claim to have submitted their tax-returns before the self-assessment deadline, but where the Inland Revenue has no such record of such a tax-return being received (i) in the current financial year to date and (ii) in each previous year of the operation of the self-assessment system; [91575]
(2) if he will make a statement on the loss of self-assessment tax return forms by the Inland Revenue. [91573]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 20 January 2003]Around 9 million self-assessment return forms are received by the Inland Revenue each year. In an operation of this size a very small proportion of returns may be misplaced. But the Revenue do not keep specific420W data about the number. The Revenue do their utmost to keep to a minimum any inconvenience to taxpayers and do their best to help those affected.