Computer Illiterate

04 August 2004 / Richard Williams

Issue: 3969 / Categories: Comment & Analysis

Richard Williams highlights basic practical problems with the Inland Revenue and Customs computer systems.

Computer Illiterate

THE PROBLEMS OF not consistently defining numerical limits and using someone else's definitions in 'joined-up' government were highlighted in my last article ('Numerically Challenged' Taxation 15 July 2004 at page 407). At first sight this article deals with rather mundane and obvious issues that should already be well known to the Inland Revenue and will affect the forthcoming 'Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' in running 'un-joined' computers across its various departments. So why mention them? Well I thought that the '1 to 50 employees' point in the previous article was obvious basic stuff but I now have doubts about whether elementary problems are reaching the powers that be from the lower levels.

The simple authority

Let's start with a very basic annoyance; the form 64-8 which — once lodged in one area — is supposed to be sufficient authority...

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