§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to prevent companies from using the same home visiting personnel both to sell loans and collect debts. [138598]
§ Mr. SutcliffeThe practice of one agent both selling loans, and collecting the payments due, is extensively used in the doorstep lending sector. This practice has not been shown to be inconsistent with either fair dealing or responsible lending and there is some evidence that it is valued by many consumers. I therefore do not intend to take any action in this matter.
§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library the responses received to the Office of Fair Trading consultation on debt collection. [138237]
§ Mr. Sutcliffe[holding answer 13 November 2003]: The responses received to the Office of Fair Trading consultation on debt collection, other than those where the respondent requested confidentiality, are available for viewing at:
- Office of Fair Trading
- Fleetbank House
- 2–6 Salisbury Square
- London
- EC4Y 8JX
§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been(a) granted and (b) revoked by the Office of Fair Trading to (i) debt collectors and (ii) lenders, (A) since the Consumer Credit Act 1974 was introduced and (B) in each year since 1997. [138238]
§ Mr. Sutcliffe[holding answer 13 November 2003]: The information is not available in the form requested. Information on licence revocations is not broken down by market sector and is not available for the early years. Disaggregated information is available on the issue of Minded to Revoke Notices (MTRs). There is no licence category which precisely corresponds to "lenders". "Consumer Credit Business" is likely to be wider and "Finance Companies" narrower. The available information is set out as follows:
511W
Total number of Licences revoked 1997 34 1998 15 1999 25 2000 31 2001 21 2002 26 To 30 September 2003 10