The investigation into the loss of the missing HM Revenue and Customs child benefit records cost nearly half a million pounds.

Treasury minister Jane Kennedy revealed the £473,544 price tag in the commons in reply to a question from Independent MP Dai Davies.

Tory shadow treasury minister David Gauke said: "Gordon Brown's mis-management of HM Revenue and Customs has already cost us billions of pounds in lost tax credits, and now taxpayers are having to foot a half a million pound bill for Labour's bungled handling of sensitive data."

The investigation resulted in the Poynter Review, which along with the Burton Review and the Data Sharing Review will be used by the Cabinet Office as a basis for improving security measures across government.