To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when HM Revenue and Customs was first informed by the National Audit Office of the non-arrival of information from the child benefit database despatched on 18 October; (167702)

[holding answer 26 November 2007]: It would be inappropriate to comment on these issues as there is an on-going police investigation.

On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the Chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials had access to a full copy of HMRC’s data on the payment of child benefits as at 18 October 2007; (167771)

[holding answer 26 November 2007]: It would be inappropriate to comment on these issues as there is an ongoing police investigation.

On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC’s data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to help alleviate concerns of child benefit recipients whose data was lost by HM Revenue and Customs on possible (a) identity fraud and (b) criminal use of bank or building society account details. (168651)

I refer the hon. Member to the statement given in the House by my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 November 2007, Official Report, columns 1101-04. The Acting Chairman of HMRC has also written to all customers affected, reassuring them that the police continue to have no reason to believe that the data has found its way into the wrong hands and setting out the advice that my right hon. friend the Chancellor offered in his statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff work in the Child Benefit Office’s IT department. (168909)

The Child Benefit Office is one of a number of HMRC business units responsible for delivering child benefit. 18 HMRC staff work in IT support for Child Benefit IT systems.