How many issues of dispute did the office have regarding misunderstandings of wording or text supplied on their application forms and on their award notices since 2003 for each year?
Figures on the number of complaints received within the department for each year can be found in the HMRC 2006-07 Accounts, Part 2 of the Comptroller and Auditor's General's Standard Report page R25, this can be found on the HMRC website. However, details on the number of complaints are not broken down to the level of detail requested.
How many application forms does the office receive that are not correctly completed, and, in particular, how many have additional information written on them that is not necessarily picked up by the machine reading system?
HMRC does not hold the information you requested.
a) When did audio recording of phone conversations begin?
It has been our policy to record calls since the start of the development of our contact centre network in 1999. All calls to the Tax Credit Helpline have had digital recording since August 2002, when this service was introduced.
b) What percentage each year were recorded and how much of the conversation is recorded?
HMRC does not hold the information you requested.
We aim to record 100 per cent of incoming calls. However due to technical difficulties there are a small number of calls that are not recorded. This is the reason why the Tax Credit Helpline 'greeting' message specifically states that calls 'may' be recorded.
a) Are computer break downs consistently logged?
Yes, all reported incidents affecting IT systems are logged using a standard logging system.
b) When did logging begin?
The ability to report and log incidents about IT problems affecting tax credits has been in existence since the current tax credits regime started in 2002-03 to tie in with the initial claim phase work.
c) Is there a team that is responsible for system repair?
There are many teams responsible in both HMRC and with our IT suppliers for IT incidents fixing and problem resolution.
d) Do they keep records of repairs and break downs?
Details of all incidents and problems include details of work undertaken to remedy the issue.
e) Specifically in between 2003 and 2005 when did the system fail?
The information is not available in the format requested.
In the event of a system failure, the system and its data can be recovered to the point of failure, as back up copies of data are kept as part of the design of the system. Data and information is fully backed up on a daily basis and securely stored.
a) What happens when an IT system breaks down?
When IT systems are unavailable to the Tax Credit Helpline advisers, they will answer general enquiries that do not depend upon system access. However, if it is a simple enquiry, such as a change of address, the adviser records the information on a stencil that is processed when the system becomes available. In all other circumstances the customer will be asked to call back.
b) How many complaints did the department receive on grounds of failure to record something due to computer error?
HMRC does not hold the information you requested.
How many disputes did the department have since 2003 for each year until 2005, where details of the conversation were lost, or claimed to be lost?
HMRC does not hold the information you requested.
How many times has the department admitted that indeed it lost such records, if at all?
HMRC does not hold the information you requested.
