Clause 1 - Withholding of housing benefit on grounds of anti-social behaviour
Housing Benefit (Withholding of Payment) Bill
11:15 am
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton, Liberal Democrat)
I am speaking to amendments No. 22 and 24. I do not believe that at any stage I advised that I had moved on to amendment No. 21. I assure the hon. Member for Hertsmere that I shall tell him when I have moved on.
The right hon. Member for Birkenhead suggested from a sedentary position when the hon. Member for Hertsmere intervened that we did not need a Bill for this purpose. He is absolutely right, because what we have discussed is already happening. My point is that before we put in place a draconian sanction regime we should ensure that the authorities have considered the type of action that I described. It would be the most effective way to deal with antisocial behaviour and would ensure that such best practice—introduced and piloted by the Liberal Democrats—was used throughout the country and becomes part of the process. It would be cheaper—
It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.