Brown under fire for tax fiascos

Gordon Brown faces embarrassment today from a report condemning a string of scandals at the Inland Revenue.

The Chancellor will be told of serious failings in the management of the tax collection agency in a report from the all-party Treasury select committee.

Among a series of disastrous shambles are failures to process child tax credits for thousands of families and failing to warn people who had not paid enough National Insurance, leaving many facing a pension shortfall.

The criticism will infuriate Mr Brown because, as the minister in overall charge, he will have to write an official response to today's report. It leaves him little choice but to acknowledge serious mistakes in a major part of his empire.

It will also fuel claims that his complex tax credits system - his big idea to reduce poverty and improve work incentives - has proved too complicated.

Strains caused by introducing the system have been blamed for delays in processing payments, with a helpline being jammed with callers.