AMNESTY FOR TAX CREDIT OVERPAYMENTS

Early day motion 325, tabled 17 December 2003 by Anne Begg (Labour). Signed by 106 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's pledge to end child poverty by 2019; but is concerned that the problems in the administration of the tax credits system may undermine the aim of the scheme to reduce child poverty; is concerned that these problems have resulted in unnecessary overpayments, which have led to difficulties and hardships for families with children when these overpayments are recovered automatically from future tax credits entitlements; and calls on the Inland Revenue to introduce an amnesty in respect of all overpayments of tax credits made in the year 2003-2004 unless the overpayment was caused by fraud on the part of the claimant.

Signatures by party: Labour 74, Liberal Democrat 17, Labour/Co-operative 7, Conservative 4, Scottish National Party 3, UUP 1.