To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in the Chorley constituency are in receipt of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit; and how many claims are outstanding. [127757]
Statistics on awards of these tax credits are being published today and are accessible on the Inland Revenue website (http://www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/main-tables-july03.pdf and http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/geographical-analysis-july03.pdf).For progress in processing claims, I refer my hon. Friend to my remarks during debate on 7 July 2003,
Official Report, column 859. Breakdowns by constituency of the figures that I gave are not available.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how applications for tax credits received after the 5 July deadline will be treated; and if he will make a statement. [128671]
Tax credits claims received by the Inland Revenue before midnight on Monday 7 July, the first full working day after the deadline, were treated as meeting the deadline for tax credits to be backdated to 6 April 2003, if appropriate. This was because the deadline fell at the weekend and to ensure that claims made through different channels were treated alike. Claims received after 7 July may be backdated for up to three months.