To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2015 to Question 579, which experts were involved in the planning process for outsourcing working tax credit debt collection to the private sector; whether any of those experts had a financial interest in the debt collection sector; whether those experts advised HM Revenue and Customs to proceed with the use of private sector debt collection agencies; and whether advice from those experts was provided orally or in writing.

A wide range of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and HM Treasury financial, debt recovery and analysis experts were involved in planning the use of debt collection agencies for tax credit debt as part.

The management of conflicts of interest for Civil Servants is set out in the Civil Service Code and the Civil Service Management Code.