CITIZENS ADVICE SCOTLAND DEBT REPORT

Early day motion 542, tabled 3 February 2004 by Mark Lazarowicz (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 49 members.

That this House welcomes recent research into debt by Citizens Advice Scotland, published in a report entitled 'On the cards - Scottish Citizens Advice Bureaux clients' experiences of debt'; notes the findings of the report, such as the increasing level of debt stress experienced by clients, highlighted by the fact that the average debt client owes ú22 for every ú1 of monthly income, the prevalence of consumer debt across every income group, and the role of changes in circumstances such as job loss, illness and relationship breakdown in creating debt problems; further notes the implications of this research in relation to reform of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, particularly the pressure exerted on some clients to exacerbate their debt problems by further borrowing, and the reliance placed on informal debt collection techniques - which may seek to pressurise or harass debtors into making unaffordable payments - by consumer creditors across all sectors; and calls on the Government to act to ensure that creditors act responsibly both when lending money and when trying to recover payments from those with debt problems, and to recognise and support the valuable role played by citizens advise bureaux in advising clients in this situation.

Signatures by party: Labour 34, Labour/Co-operative 5, Liberal Democrat 5, Scottish National Party 4, DUP 1.