AMNESTY FOR TAX CREDIT OVERPAYMENTS

Early day motion 546, tabled 11 July 2005 by Anne Begg (Labour). Signed by 66 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's pledge to end child poverty by 2020 and acknowledges the progress it has made so far; but is concerned by the continued problems in the administration of the tax credits system highlighted in the reports in June from Citizens Advice, the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Adjudicator for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs; is further concerned at the level of overpayments and the difficulties and hardships for families caused when these overpayments are recovered automatically from future tax credits entitlements; and calls on Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to introduce an amnesty in respect of all overpayments of tax credits made in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 tax years unless the overpayment was caused by fraud on the part of the claimant.

Signatures by party: Labour 49, Conservative 8, Liberal Democrat 3, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.