Member

They can be used for debtors not on benefit or where PAYE is not possible and for those who refuse to engage with the DWP in those circumstances. In those cases, the ability to request bank statements is a vital safeguard to ensure that the amount of deduction is affordable and does not cause hardship. Put simply, if we do not know how much money someone has and they do not engage with the DWP, we risk taking more than they can afford to repay. For that reason, I cannot accept the amendment. The Bill also requires that we use that information for legitimate debt recovery purposes only. The noble Baroness asked where that is specified. Paragraph 3(10) of Schedule 5 specifies about further use, and paragraph 3(4) specifies that it must be for the purposes of a DDO. I hope that reassures her on that point.