The
Inland Revenue is set to introduce new disciplinary rules as part of a drive to
stop staff snooping through people’s tax records.
The
agency is clamping down after 266 cases of ‘computer misuse’ were uncovered in
2001, with some employees selling confidential information about celebrities.
Other
staff were looking at the records of family, friends or former partners and
then passing the details to the Child Support Agency.
Despite
the large number of cases, just two staff were prosecuted so the Revenue is
drawing together a new policy.
