A trade union representing tax office staff has called on
the National Audit Office to examine whether IT outsourcer EDS cut
corners in software testing of the New Tax Credit
system.
The PCS, which represents staff working on the system, wants the
NAO investigation to look at whether curtailing testing contributed
to delays and backlogs when the system was introduced earlier this
year.
The spending watchdog should also question EDS about why it took so
long to correct faults in the software and whether sufficient
resources were devoted to the project to meet its
politically-driven deadlines, PCS said.
"The problems that beset the introduction of [the tax credit
system] and the pressures put on staff and customers through
computer failure, poor planning and allocation of resources
seriously undermined what is a flagship government programme," said
a union official.
The Inland Revenue dismissed PCSclaims. "When the system was
working more slowly than it should have been we were working
exceedingly hard with EDS and doing everything possible to
stabilise the system and to get it functioning properly," a
representative said.
In July paymaster-general Dawn Primarolo admitted the tax credit
computer systems had contributed to late payment for hundreds of
thousands of claimants.
EDS was not available for comment.