Details of behavioural psychology experiment on 1200 taxpayers
Dear HM Revenue and Customs,
Around 2012 HMRC conducted an experiment on 1200 taxpayers as detailed in ‘Written evidence from HM Revenue & Customs - HMRC update to Public Accounts Committee: Letters to Tax Avoidance Scheme Users’
Below is a link to that particular evidence:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm...
Three schemes were selected for this ‘pilot project’. My request for information relates solely to the scheme detailed at point number 1.
The written evidence goes on to provide an example of the type of letter issued. Presumably as the behavioural psychology experiment involved splitting the 1200 people into 4 categories there are further examples of the type of letters sent by HMRC.
Please provide examples of all letters issued to the 1200 individuals.
Have the 1200 people been notified they were selected for a behavioural psychology experiment?
Yours faithfully,
Jon Quinn
Our ref: FOI2022/02087
Dear Mr Quinn,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement
Thank you for your communication of 29 January.
We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.
We will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either comply
with our obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we think it's
an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the Act, let
you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it on to a
more appropriate part of the Department for answer.
While we aim to r espond to all freedom of information requests within 20
working days, if for some reason this timescale cannot be complied with,
we will, where possible, write to you explaining the reason for the delay
and provide an estimated time for response.
Yours sincerely
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Mr Quinn
We are writing in response to your request for information, received on 29
January 2022.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear FOI Central Team,
Thank you for your reply to my FOI request in which you have directed me to links and other FOI’s that do not give me the information that I have asked for.
My request was very straightforward but perhaps I need to make it even clearer and narrow it down to one simple and clear ask.
Please supply a copy of all four of the letters that were initially sent to those persons who were part of the aforementioned experiment, ie just four sample letters
Yours sincerely,
Jon Quinn
Our ref: FOI2022/04698
Dear Mr Quinn,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement
Thank you for your communication of 12 February.
We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.
We will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either comply
with our obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we think it's
an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the Act, let
you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it on to a
more appropriate part of the Department for answer.
While we aim to respond to all freedom of information requests within 20
working days, if for some reason this timescale cannot be complied with,
we will, where possible, write to you explaining the reason for the delay
and provide an estimated time for response.
Yours sincerely
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Mr Quinn
We are writing in response to your request for information, received 12
February 2022.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Team, FOI,
Thank you for supplying copies of the four letters initially sent to the 1200 individuals.
I would like to ask a follow up question if I may. Again, my request relates only to the scheme detailed at point number 1 in the written evidence provided by HMRC.
Please provide copies of all ‘nudge’ letters sent to the 1200 individuals throughout the period of the psychology experiment.
Yours sincerely,
Jon Quinn
Our ref: FOI2022/11253
Dear Mr Quinn,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement
Thank you for your communication of 11 March.
We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.
We will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either comply
with our obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we think it's
an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the Act, let
you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it on to a
more appropriate part of the Department for answer.
While we aim to res pond to all freedom of information requests within 20
working days, if for some reason this timescale cannot be complied with,
we will, where possible, write to you explaining the reason for the delay
and provide an estimated time for response.
Yours sincerely
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Mr Quinn,
We are writing in response to your request for information, received on 11
March 2022.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Team, FOI,
Thank you for your reply. I am a little confused with your response and wish you to clarify further before escalating my FOI.
I have asked if HMRC sent any further 'nudge' letters to the 1200 individuals other than the 4 letters you have released under FOI2022/04698.
For the avoidance of doubt are HMRC saying just 1 letter was issued to the 1200 individuals and no further correspondence was issued to the 1200 individuals in relation to the same matter?
To give a little background on the matter through the FOI 2022/04698 I have established that HMRC selected myself for this experiment (despite the fact HMRC have misled the Parliamentary Ombudsman about selecting myself for this experiment). I received further letters from the Specialist Investigation technical team, therefore, this is at odds with HMRC stating no further 'nudge' letters were issued to the 1200 individuals, hence my request for clarification.
I am saddened by the fact that individuals, like myself, are forced to drag the truth from HMRC via FOI requests.
Yours sincerely,
Jon Quinn
Dear HM Revenue and Customs,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of HM Revenue and Customs's handling of my FOI request 'Details of behavioural psychology experiment on 1200 taxpayers'.
My comments made on 1st April have simply been ignored hence my request for an internal review. As detailed in my comments on 1st April I have established that HMRC selected myself for this behavioural psychology experiment without my knowledge. In fact, through FOI 2022/04698 I have established that HMRC actually misled the Parliamentary Ombudsman about selecting me for this particular experiment.
Though FOI 2022/04698 HMRC have provided 4 example letters issued to the 1200 individuals and indicated no further letters were issued to the individuals. Having checked through my file I can see that I received a number of 'follow up' letters from the Specialist Investigation Technical Team. This would suggest that YET AGAIN HMRC are being dishonest / evasive with their response.
Please can HMRC state as fact no further letters were issued to the 1200 individuals other than the 4 example letters already provided or now release the further example letters issued to the 1200 individuals throughout the experiment.
It is widely known at least 8 suicides have resulted from individuals subjected to the Loan Charge. It should be of serious concern that HMRC are being dishonest & evasive in providing information about this covert psychology experiment.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/d...
Yours faithfully,
Jon Quinn
Our ref: IR2022/15786
Dear Mr Quinn,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement
Thank you for your communication of 7 April.
We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.
We will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either comply
with our obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we think it's
an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the Act, let
you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it on to a
more appropriate part of the Department for answer.
While we aim to respo nd to all freedom of information requests within 20
working days, if for some reason this timescale cannot be complied with,
we will, where possible, write to you explaining the reason for the delay
and provide an estimated time for response.
Yours sincerely
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Mr Quinn,
We are writing in response to your request for information, received 7
April 2022.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Team, FOI,
Please confirm if DISCLOSED tax avoidance scheme 33296845 was the scheme selected for the covert psychology experiment detailed at bullet point number 1 in the written evidence HMRC provided to the Public Accounts Committe on 4 Dec 2012?
Link to HMRC's written evidence below:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm...
Yours sincerely,
Jon Quinn
Our ref: FOI2022/59829
Dear Jon Quinn,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Acknowledgement
Thank you for your communication of 27 September.
We have allocated the above reference which you should quote if you need
to contact us.
We will arrange for a reply to be sent to you which will either comply
with our obligations under Freedom of Information Act or, if we think it's
an enquiry that we don't need to address under the terms of the Act, let
you know why. If it is the latter we will, if possible, pass it on to a
more appropriate part of the Department for answer.
While we aim t o respond to all freedom of information requests within 20
working days, if for some reason this timescale cannot be complied with,
we will, where possible, write to you explaining the reason for the delay
and provide an estimated time for response.
Yours sincerely
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
Dear Jon Quinn,
We are writing in response to your request for information, received 27
September.
Yours sincerely,
HMRC Freedom of Information Team
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