BN66 - Time to fight back (Chapter 3)

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Keep writing

I am still getting requests for the letter template. If you haven't written yet, don't be shy.

It's actually good that not all the letters went at the same time. We have been able to incorporate rebuttals in the latest template to some of the BS that the Treasury have responded with. We are also able to refer to some of the facts we have obtained through FOI.

For example, in the early responses the Treasury claimed that no-one would be bankrupted because HMRC would be compassionate and offer flexible payment terms.

Even if I believed that HMRC would not go for the jugular, what use are flexible payments if you are saddled with a high interest debt for the rest of your life?

[ContractIn]

Not quite true. We got some useful info, which was passed to MontP. MontP also got the terms of the Suo Motu settlement from us.

Following consultation with WG, we challenged the "brush off" with a snotty letter and are awaiting HMRC's response.

Further FOI requests are in the pipeline. We are determined to prise as much as we can out of the buggers.

If nothing else, at least we are keeping Mr B occupied.

Thanks DR - makes me wonder if you didn't go down this route whether MTM would have had the foresight to do so after the JR had been rejected?

Unfortunate for you but fortunate for us that you are also caught up in this mess.

Cheers

[helen7]

How long did it take for you to receive a response from your MPs?

Sent letter to my MP 5 months ago (via write to them) and 3 weeks ago via post to the house of commons.

Both times no response.

MP is Greg Hands.

[ContractIn]

How long did it take for you to receive a response from your MPs?

Sent letter to my MP 5 months ago (via write to them) and 3 weeks ago via post to the house of commons.

Both times no response.

MP is Greg Hands.

I got nothing via writetothem and nothing via their personal web-site but did get a reponse by post after about 3 weeks. I mentioned in my letter that I had previosuly written to them on two occasions via the methods mentioned and they stated in their response that they did not receive these communications. probably a lie!

[PlaneSailing]

How long did it take for you to receive a response from your MPs?

Sent letter to my MP 5 months ago (via write to them) and 3 weeks ago via post to the house of commons.

Both times no response.

MP is Greg Hands.

I would have expected to have heard something from him by now.
He's a shadow treasury minister, so he would be useful to have on side.

If you've got time, you could try and see him at one of his surgeries.
I saw my MP and he was very helpful and keen to push things further. It
also focused his attention on the problem.

[BrilloPad]

I would have expected to have heard something from him by now.
He's a shadow treasury minister, so he would be useful to have on side.

If you've got time, you could try and see him at one of his surgeries.
I saw my MP and he was very helpful and keen to help. It also focused
his attention on the problem.

I think if you attend a surgery then DR has some bulletpoints/notes to assist?

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Greg Hands (Conservative)

How long did it take for you to receive a response from your MPs?

Sent letter to my MP 5 months ago (via write to them) and 3 weeks ago via post to the house of commons.

Both times no response.

MP is Greg Hands.

Two people have emailed me to say that they have written to him but I don't know if you were one of them.

I will check with them to see if they have had any response.

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Write to them again

If you wrote to your MP a few weeks ago and they still haven't responded, then write again.

Don't waste time explaining that you wrote before. Just use the opportunity to hit them with something different.

Please contact me and get the latest template. All you need to do is fill in the MP's name, your name and address, sign it, and stick it in the post.

Thanks!!!
DR

[ASB]

Last year we asked (not through FOI) for stats on the number of returns under enquiry from 2001/2 to 2005/6. The response we got was that they don't hold such information and it would be too costly to obtain it.

In January this year we requested the exact same information through FOI. And hey presto, 4 weeks later we got a report containing all the figures.

If it is anything like as clear cut as that then you should make a formal complaint to the Board of the Inland revenue and persue it as far as possible. Actively lying is completely unacceptable. There are absolutely no circumstances in which this is justified.

An acceptable response would have been that the infromation was confidentail and they were not prepared to release it.

[sgee]

absolutely agree with that! The fight here is dirty enough without letting them get away with that sort of behaviour.