Staff absences sometimes lead to income tax rebates being paid late, Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has admitted.

Speaker Juan Watterson tabled a written Tynwald question asking Mr Cannan what the average wait was for people who were due a rebate on their tax paid.

Mr Cannan said that while the specific data was not held, ’the assessor of income tax aims to issue all refunds of overpayment of tax within two weeks of the date of issue of an assessment’.

But the Treasury Minister added: ’This timescale is dependent on other checks being undertaken, such as whether or not there are other outstanding debts which the overpayment requires to be offset against.

’The assessor has advised me that there have been occasions whereby staff absences during peak times have caused delays of up to three weeks in excess of the target stated.’

Mr Cannan said that, in 2013, a service was introduced that allowed online users to receive the payment of tax refunds and personal allowance credits directly into their bank accounts.

’This reduces the administration burden on the income tax division whilst providing a more convenient service for the taxpayer,’ he said.