Letter: Why different taxmen for the Queen and I?

Sir: You report ('US firm takes over tax records', 23 May) that, after the forthcoming privatisation of part of the Inland Revenue, day-to-day control of the personal tax records of British citizens will be given to a United States company. Apparently an Inland Revenue spokeswoman said that the majority of the 2,000 staff involved would become employees of that company, but a few hundred would remain to run tax records for the Queen and other public figures such as MPs and judges.

I sincerely hope that your correspondent has it wrong. Surely, if the confidentiality of the proposed arrangements is good enough for the likes of me, it is good enough for these 'public figures'? If not, why is it thought to be good enough for ordinary people?

Yours sincerely,

R. M. GAZE

Edinburgh

23 May