Gordon Brown hiding true tax credit fraud figures

CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown was today accused of burying a report exposing the scale of fraud and error in the tax credit system.

The Liberal Democrats allege that he is deliberately delaying publication of a Treasury report due earlier this year. General Dawn Primarolo Paymaster Mr Brown and the Minister responsible for the system, is refusing the release of the document completed several weeks ago.

This has fuelled suggestions that the report will show an even bigger scale of fraud and error than the National Audit Office's estimate of at least £460 million lost in 2003/4, the year tax credits were introduced.

Lib Dem Work and Pensions spokesman David Laws said: "The government is trying to hush up the findings. It seems the revenue and customs is trying to burying the report because it is so sensitive about the issue of repayments and the scale of fraud and error."

He added that it seemed as if the government was waiting to "bury bad news" by publishing the report to coincide with an event which would grab the headlines, such as the World Cup Final.

Interesting Info Table of Contents