Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to debtors of High Court Enforcement officers' continued application of VAT to judgment debts during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Ministry of Justice has not made an estimate of the additional cost to debtors of the application of VAT to High Court enforcement fees during the covid-19 outbreak.

Due to the impact of covid-19, visits by enforcement agents (bailiffs) to take control of goods at residential premises and on highways are currently suspended under the Taking Control of Goods and Certification of Enforcement Agents (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020, which came into force on 25 April. This restriction is a public health measure and will remain in place while the social distancing restrictions that limit the reasons for which a person can leave the place in which they live are in force under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020.