Member

In terms of recovering overpayments, the DWP has always had the option of using county court enforcement proceedings. This Bill wants to cut this out because the DWP argues that the county court method of enforcement is slow and resource intensive. But if it is proportionate that the failure of the state’s judicial infrastructure is an adequate excuse for undermining civil liberties, should it not be a matter of principle that there should be judicial processes in place before the Government to take money directly from individual bank accounts, and that if the courts are not able to cope, we should deal with the courts and not have individuals losing rights?