Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jonathan Djanogly and Nick Raynsford

Tuesday 3rd July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Nick Raynsford (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)]

11. What progress he has made with his proposals on regulation of bailiff services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)]

Following the publication of updated national standards for enforcement agents in January, the Government launched a full public consultation on transforming bailiff action in February. The consultation closed on 14 May, and we are now carefully considering the 250 responses with a view to publishing our response in the autumn.

[Mr Raynsford]

I am not sure whether any of those responses referred to the Government’s proposed cut of £500 million in council tax benefits next April, which is widely expected to prompt a surge in cases being referred to bailiffs for the recovery of council tax debts. What are the Government doing to prevent an escalation of intrusive, expensive interventions against low-income households?

[Mr Djanogly]

If there are debts to be collected, bailiffs have to go and collect them; otherwise, the system would break down. However, the Government are clear that aggressive bailiff activity is unacceptable, and we are committed to introducing effective proposals that protect the public and ensure that bailiff action is proportionate.