Lord Cormack
Main Page: Lord Cormack (Conservative - Life peer)
Baroness Hanham
My Lords, the burden on local authorities for collecting any debt is something that they will have to work out for themselves. I do not think any assessment has been made of any additional burdens from the council tax support system, which is what the noble Lord is asking about. Again, it will be up to local authorities to make their own arrangements.
Lord Cormack
My Lords, my noble friend will know that when the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, moved an amendment earlier this year the House voted decisively on this issue of bailiffs. Can my noble friend assure me that the noble Baroness, and others who led this campaign, are being consulted on these guidelines?
Baroness Hanham
Absolutely, my Lords. The noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, came to see me a little while ago with the chief executive of an organisation called Zacchaeus, which is deeply involved in this. We have made sure that it has been consulted and have kept closely in touch with it over the guidelines. Therefore, I can be sure that when the guidelines are produced, it will be done with the support of those who were concerned about what was happening.