Who is worse at getting the bunce for nowt?

MPs are an odd lot. They are, in the main, secretive about how much money they slosh around in the way of expenses. Not needing to reveal what they spent £249 on, getting housing allowance on homes to pay for mortgages, etc, etc. But that doesn't stop them talking about others. MPs on the Treasury Select Committee have criticised HM Revenue and Customs for giving senior staff big bonus increases in the last tax year. The bonuses went up by an average of 60% during a year when complaints about tax credits rose and VAT processing targets were missed.

Now it is the job of this committee to look at how HMRC is getting on. And some MPs are very good at dissecting the information before the. One MP, who isn't into dodgy dealings, is Vince Cable. He was the acting LibDem leader that everyone thought should be leader!

He says "With millions of personal records lost, a tax credit system in chaos and the debacle of Northern Rock, why on earth does the Treasury think it is appropriate to increase staff bonuses by 60%?" Good question! I'd say because they are into the New Labour quango culture of "I get my bonus on good days and bad days!" The answer a spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs gave was, "In line with the wider civil service, bonuses are paid to encourage and reward performance and to enable HMRC to improve its service to taxpayers and the government." No mention of the crap year they've had.

Cable says also, "It is clear that the days of prudence in the Treasury are well and truly over." They are indeed. Gordon Brown got rid of her (Prudence) when she started asking difficult questions!

If MPs as a whole could get their House in order (expenses-wise) then they would be better placed to criticise. However, we can't let HMRC get away with thinking that taxpayers' money is an easy commodity to squander or personally use as they see fit!

Posted in: Gordon Brown,HMRC,sleaze,Taxpayers Alliance,Treasury