§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list debt counselling services which are currently funded wholly or in part from his Department's budget; and what plans he has to expand funding of debt counselling services.
§ Mr. LeighMy Department does not provide funds specifically for debt counselling services and has no plans to do so. The main provider of debt counselling services nationally is the Citizens Advice Service which, through the network of citizens advice bureaux, advises on debt problems as part of its general advisory work. Individual bureaux are funded mainly by local authorities. My Department funds the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland which provide the support services to the local bureaux. Total DTI grant-in-aid in 1991–92 to NACAB and CAS will be about £12 million.
Many lending institutions have already provided funds to support debt counselling services; the Government would like to see more following that lead.