TAX CREDITS (No. 2)

Early day motion 2106, tabled 15 October 2007 by Danny Alexander (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 34 members.

That this House notes the continuing concerns about the operation of the tax credits system expressed by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in her recent report Tax Credits: getting it wrong?; expresses concern that the tax credit system continues to cause unnecessary distress and hardship, particularly for people on low incomes; further notes that reports by the Ombudsman and Citizens Advice both report that continued problems are causing some claimants to wish to opt-out of the system; notes the Ombudsman's view that even when the system operates as intended it appears sometimes to work against the objectives of child poverty reduction and making work pay; and calls on the Government to bring forward proposals for radical reform to address the financial insecurity, confusion and hardship which are a feature of the current tax credit system.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 23, Labour 4, Conservative 3, DUP 1, Independent 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.