HL Deb 16 May 1984 vol 451 cc1500-1WA
Lord Dunleath

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the present level of debt due to various statutory agencies in Northern Ireland such as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Northern Ireland Electricity Service, and how this position compares with that obtaining over the past three years.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)

The information in respect of the main agencies is as follows:

1981–81 £m 1981–82 £m 1982–83 £m 1983–84 £m
Department of the Environment—Rates 5.0 6.1 11.0 14.3*
Nothern Ireland Electricity Service 8.6 8.1 7.9 7.5*
Belfast Gas 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.3*
Northern Ireland Housing Executive 12.2 16.9 21.1 19.9*
Total 29.5 34.7 43.6 45.0*
*provisional figures

Note:

All these figures include technical debt in the form of payments in transit. This is particularly important in relation to debt owed to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Lord Dunleath

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the level of debt to public agencies in Northern Ireland compares with that due to similar agencies in the rest of the United Kingdom and what means of debt collection are available to such agencies in those areas.

Lord Lyell

Statistics are not readily available in a form which would allow a meaningful comparison of the level of debt due to public agencies in Northern Ireland with that due to similar agencies elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The main means of debt recovery available to public agencies in Great Britain include:

Voluntary agreement;

Coin operated collection devices;

Direct recovery from Supplementary Benefit (including the fuel direct and housing benefit schemes);

Legal action (including attachment of earnings); Disconnection/eviction.