§ 44. Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average amount of debt per head of the adult population in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. CopeInformation is not available in the form requested, but, according to a recent study undertaken by the Policy Studies Institute, the average amount of problem debt in 1989 was approximately £36 per head of the adult population. The PSI study defined a problem debt as a regular commitment, including a credit agreement or household commitment, which satisfied both the following conditions:
- (a) respondents had fallen behind or failed to make a payment during the previous 12 months, and
- (b) respondents were worried about the arrears or stated that making payments was a difficulty.
The figure therefore does not include all moneys owed; it does not cover credit agreements or household commitments where there is no problem making repayments.