[MargaretR]

The audits of individual office error rates were notoriously worse in the Home Counties for the whole time - 35 yrs - I was employed in MInistry of Pensions & National Insurance, National Assistance Board, Ministry of Social Security, Dept of Health & Social Security, Benefits Agency, Dept of Work and Pensions.

The frequent name changes are indicative of the frequency with which successive governments meddle with the administration for political reasons, and how civil servants have needed to absorb changes to working practices frequently.

Too much too fast has been loaded on to the Inland Revenue in recent times and has been accompanied by severe job cuts. The responsibilty for this fiasco lies in both this government and previous governments (tory and labour) who have used the Civil Service as a whipping boy to set low pay standards for the nation.