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Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [Lords]

Some of those organisations are undoubtedly committing real villainy—in some cases, within the law. In yesterday’s edition of the News of the World, one advertisement had the headline, ““Repossessions stopped. Be free of debt. Pay off your mortgage.”” It is as if all one’s debts can suddenly go away overnight; of course, they cannot. A real attempt should be made to educate people, not only at school but through adult debt advice services. By the time that people come into our surgeries or use the money advice service provided by citizens advice bureaux, it is too late; it is vital to get to them much earlier. The savings index has never been so low, and consumer credit has never been so high. For some, credit is simply too readily available. Anyone can go into a store and get a £500 store card on demand, whatever debt they face. Many mobile phone contract arrangements are equally damaging to vulnerable people who are already in debt. The cost of the bailiff and enforcement service to which the Bill refers would be dramatically reduced if we addressed the cultural problem at the heart of our society at its source.