§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which his Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all subcontractors involved in the work, co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12561]
§ Angela EagleThe following functions and systems have been purchased.
§ Mr. RaynsfordWe have no plans to do so. Committal remains an important tool for local authorities in their efforts to recover unpaid council tax and community charge, but it is used as a last resort and a debtor can be imprisoned only where a magistrate is satisfied that failure to pay has been due to wilful refusal or culpable neglect. However, the Department has recently issued a consultation paper on the enforcement of council tax debts which, amongst other things, invites views on giving magistrates powers to impose a community service order as an additional enforcement option.