To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent guidance has been issued to staff in the Tax Credit Office on deadlines for responding to letters from hon. Members. (182097)

No updated guidance has been issued recently.

It has always been the aim of the Tax Credit Office to reply to the majority of letters from hon. Members within three weeks. Following the administrative issue I referred to in my statement of 25 July 2007, Official Report, columns 62-63WS, some parts of HMRC’s tax credits business have been subject to delays, but HMRC are continuing to make progress to recover that position.