To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 7 October 2008, Official Report, column 593W, on departmental security, how many departmental passes were (a) lost and (b) stolen, in the same period, amongst (i) HM Revenue and Customs and (ii) the Valuation Office Agency. (241929)

In the 24 months up to 7 October 2008 the number of passes reported as lost by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff was 653 and 32 were reported as stolen. For the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) only one pass was lost over the same period. There are in total over 90,000 HMRC and VOA staff.

HMRC provides a helpdesk facility that enables staff to report such losses, and allows the Department to take appropriate steps to maintain security across all its estate, including the quick disabling of ID and building passes.