Clause 22 - Further provision relating
Consumer Credit Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Employment Relations, Competition and Consumers), Department of Trade and Industry; Bradford South, Labour)
That is not the intention. It that is the case, we need to put it right. If we need to make a consequential amendment, we will. I will write to my hon. Friend to ensure that what he has said is correct and then put it right.
Returning to the amendment of the hon. Member for Tewkesbury, it is not clear what is meant by ''demonstrate'' that a debtor will, in essence, have to prove his case. That raises the barrier when we are trying to lower it to make the unfairness test more effective. Lenders will be better able to confirm that their practices are not unfair.
Furthermore, consumers face problems such as access to relevant market information and documentation.
To raise the barrier is to head in the wrong direction. Unless the hon. Gentleman is clearer about what he means by ''demonstrate'' he will fail to achieve his objective.