Waiting for HMRC

sir – I spent an enjoyable hour-and-ahalf trying to speak to someone at

HMRC yesterday morning. Leaving my phone on loudspeaker, I was able to finish both sudokus, as well as both codeword puzzles. What a luxury.

Unfortunately, when someone finally answered the phone, he couldn’t help because our connection was immediately lost.

Alexandra King

Ibthorpe, Hampshire

sir – Much has been written about the reluctance of civil servants to work from their offices (Letters, January 27), so it was a pleasant surprise to receive my new passport 10 days after having a photograph taken and submitting the renewal application online.

I was impressed, too, by the way the Passport Office communicated progress on authorising and despatching the new passport.

Clearly one branch of government is functioning as it should. Christopher Allanson

Ticehurst, East Sussex