Proceeding contribution from Nicholas Dakin (Labour) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 1 December 2011. It occurred during Backbench debate on Debt Advice and Debt Management.
Debt Advice and Debt Management
My hon. Friend makes a significant point. The devil is in the detail—I can see that the Minister is nodding. We should learn from practice elsewhere that can better assist us. It is clear that practices in some US states have created unforeseen difficulties, so there is something to learn from what works well and what does not. I should like the Minister to address certain questions when he speaks. Will he confirm that the Government recognise the need for sustainable face-to-face debt advice provision for people who get into significant debt difficulty? Will he confirm that the Government will ensure that funding is available for that in future? Will the Minister take steps to eliminate misleading advertising of debt advice and to abolish the practice of debt management companies charging huge up-front fees, which results in perverse commercial incentives? Will he recognise that a consensus has been expressed by Members on both sides of the House that debt advice and debt management needs to be regulated? Such regulation should not be compromised by the one-in, one-out rule, however reasonable that aspiration is. Regulation is necessary if we are to have better activity. If we do not regulate soon, we will have consequences that we would rather not have. Finally, will the Minister confirm that he will learn from practice elsewhere in the world? I am sure he will because he is very much into learning from others.
Secondary information
- Type
- Proceeding contribution
- Reference
- 536 c1165-6
- Session
- 2010-12
- Chamber / Committee
- House of Commons chamber
- Subjects
- Debts Advisory services Insolvency
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- View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk
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