HMRC’s Phil Nilson was speaking at our annual conference last week when I received a tweet to the effect that HMRC were scouring the internet for spare parts to help repair their “decrepit” microfiche readers which are breaking down.
We immediately put out a request to delegates but none of them could oblige.
We know that most of the pre-1970s records are stored on microfiche and you may well be wondering why such records are still important.
Whilst this story might have its amusing side, it is of great relevance to those who might be making claims for those affected by exposure to asbestos
Thompson told the Commons Treasury committee that most of the pre-1970s records were on microfiche, but there were a dwindling number of operational machines left to access them.
The Labour committee member of the Treasury Select Committee, John Mann said the wait had reached 383 days and was a significant problem for these groups.
An HMRC spokesman said such health cases were prioritized, but they only have 36 operational machines and even those need “TLC” on an ongoing basis.
Individuals are able to request their employment history if they are making a compensation claim for an industrial injury, a road accident, medical negligence or hardship – such as claiming through a benevolent fund or charity.
However, HMRC only has 36 operational microfiche machines and even those break down frequently, sparking hunts for rare replacement parts or engineers with the skills to fit them.
