§ Mr. Goodhartasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make provision for housing associations to implement a surcharge for the collection of arrears similar to that being enforced for debtors in public housing.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 376], gave the following information:
Housing associations have had access since 1973 to the facilities of the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services for the recovery of arrears by allocations from social security benefits; 590W tenants having money so allocated are subject to the collection charge. The charge is the responsibility of the collecting agency, not of the creditor body.