Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the decision in R (Nicolson) v Tottenham Magistrates' Court to declare the applicant's liability order unlawful, what steps HM Courts and Tribunals Service has taken to ensure that magistrates satisfy themselves that the amount claimed by way of costs by local authorities in any individual case summonsed for late or non-payment of council tax is no more than that reasonably incurred by the authority.

The decision as to whether to award costs in applications for liability orders and in what amount is a matter of judicial discretion in each individual case.