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Housing Benefit (Loss of Benefit) (Pilot Scheme) (Supplementary) Regulations 2007

My Lords, I rather think that my activities in the House next week will mean that I have 10 days in which to read it, rather than a weekend. As I said earlier, we all condemn anti-social behaviour. My daughter experienced it some years ago in Sheffield. It took a little time to persuade the youth next door to stop playing loud music at all hours, but the matter was eventually settled through the good offices of the environmental health officer, without—and this is the important point—the withdrawal of housing benefit. None the less, the experience made my son-in-law’s illness worse for a considerable period thereafter. Is not this the point? Will the mere threat of withdrawal be enough to stop bad behaviour, or will sanctions actually have to be employed? Which of these two would the Minister raise as a successful outcome to the pilots? Once we know that, we will be able to make our own evaluation. In the mean time, like the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, my scepticism remains unabated.