AS news broke of the loss of 25 million Child Benefit records on Tuesday evening courier company TNT – a branch of which is based in Alton – was involved. It seems that the package, containing two CDs with details relating to 25 million individuals, was being couriered by TNT, which operates HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) postal system. Dispatched to the National Audit Office (NAO) by a junior HMRC official, in breach of security procedures, the package was not recorded or registered and failed to arrive. It is said to have contained a wealth of personal information which could be worth billions of pounds to organised criminal gangs and identity fraudsters. When it failed to arrive a second copy of the data was sent by HMRC to the NAO, this time by TNT registered post, and the package arrived safely. Senior HMRC managers were not informed that the CDs were missing until Thursday, November 8. The chancellor, Alistair Darling, was informed two days later and immediately informed the prime minister, Gordon Brown. On Wednesday last week, Mr Darling instructed Paul Gray, Revenue and Customs chairman, to call in the Metropolitan Police. On Monday banks and building societies were given details of the accounts affected so they could monitor any suspicious transactions. On Tuesday Mr Gray resigned. MPs were told of the lapse and that an investigation had been launched into HMRC security, to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers. This is to be in consultation with the Independent Police Complaints Commission. And parents of every child in the country were urged to check bank and building society accounts for any unexplained discrepancies. In a statement from TNT Express Services headquarters in Atherstone, Warwickshire, the company has assured that it is co-operating fully with HMRC and the Metropolitan Police in relation to the ongoing investigation into the missing HMRC computer discs. It continues: "The company co-operated fully with HMRC when the problem first arose and has continued to do so throughout the period since the discs were reported as lost. "TNT operates a general internal mail system for the HMRC (carrying up to 100,000 items every night) and other associated Government agencies. Options exist for the sender to choose a consigned service with full track and trace. "General mail does not carry a track and trace mechanism and hence it has been impossible, in this instance, to conduct an audit to identify if the item entered the system. "It is important to note that the replacement discs were despatched on a consigned service, with full track and trace visibility, on October 24 and subsequently delivered within the required time frame the following morning. "At this stage we are unable to offer any further comment as police investigations continue and an Independent Police Complaints Commission inquiry is about to be launched." Alton-based Conservative Parliamentary candidate for East Hampshire, Damian Hinds, has attacked the government for being incompetent. He said: "The loss by a branch of government of data discs containing personal and financial details of 25 million people shows not only truly breathtaking incompetence, but a complete absence of the sort of security safeguards people would naturally assume exist. "Even basic precautions weren't taken. We can only hope the consequences are not disastrous – as they could be." He continued: "Whatever else it may end up meaning for the government, it must certainly mean the end to plans for a £19bn nationwide ID cards scheme. Who could ever have faith in it now?"