§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will undertake discussions with local authority associations with a view to persuading local authorities to abandon the employment of private bailiffs in distraint actions over rent arrears;
(2) if he will issue guidelines to local authorities relating to abuses perpetrated by private bailiffs, retained by local authorities in distraint cases concerning rent arrears, as outlined in "In Distress over Rent", recently published by Shelter;
(3) if he will list those local authorities which are known to employ private bailiffs to distrain in instances of rent arrears; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. ArmstrongMy right hon. Friend's views on the use of distraint generally have already been made clear to my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend will consider whether advice is required on the whole complex subject of rent arrears when current research has been completed and account can be taken of experience in the new Housing Services Advisory Unit. He would certainly expect to discuss the content of any advice with the local authority associations beforehand. Particulars of which authorities employ private bailiffs in the exercise of their management responsibilities are not available.