Community Charge Debt (Scotland) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 19 February 2015.

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Photo of Jackie Baillie Jackie Baillie Labour

As other members have done, I thank the Finance Committee and the clerks to the committee for scrutinising the bill in the run-up to the stage 3 debate.

Aside from the Conservatives, there is little dissent from the intention behind the bill. Given how discredited the poll tax is, I am surprised that the Conservatives—the architects of the poll tax—remain intent on clutching on to it.

The question whether legislation is needed has been raised several times before. I absolutely agree that the increase in voter registration during the referendum is to be celebrated. If that increase had been used to pursue historical poll tax debt, that would have sent out the wrong message about democratic participation.

I will quote the former First Minister, which I am sure he has not often heard me do. However, this is clearly a case of absence making the heart grow fonder of Alex from Strichen. Even he noted—he repeated it today—that the bill, which was hurriedly introduced, has no practical effect, because there is already a legal bar on chasing debts that are more than 20 years old.

COSLA does not believe that the bill is necessary. I am pleased that the minister acknowledged that a substantial and welcome element of the increase in voter registration was among 16 to 18-year-olds, who were not born when the poll tax was introduced.