Tax credits minister should face axe after failing families - Laws

6.22.12pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th May 2006

Ahead of new figures on tax credits overpayments, to be released tomorrow, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, David Laws MP called for the replacement of the minister responsible, Dawn Primarolo, and urgent action to address the failing system.

Commenting Mr Laws said "Families have been let down by the tax credit system for too long, as Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo has failed to take decisive action to resolve this continuing crisis.

"It is surely now time to replace the Paymaster General, who through oversight, incompetence, or complacency has presided over a broken system rife with incorrect payments and fraud.

"As Dawn Primarolo continues to block parliamentary scrutiny of this crucial issue, new ministerial leadership is now needed to introduce a radical overhaul of the way tax credits are administered.

"Huge numbers of hard working families on low incomes are plunged into debt and poverty by the very system which the Government claimed was designed to help them. The new figures are likely to show little or no improvement in the number of incorrect tax credit payments.

"The Liberal Democrats are today setting out a Five Point Plan which would make tax credits work more effectively."