Public petition from families at Dale Farm and Hovefields on the proposed eviction of gypsy and traveller families.

Public petition from families at Dale Farm and Hovefields on the proposed eviction of gypsy and traveller families.

My second petition, to which there are 15 signatures, concerns the proposed eviction of Gypsy and Traveller families at Dale Farm and Hovefields by Basildon council. It was organised by Ann Dean. The families include invalid schoolchildren, some of whom have special needs, elderly people, and many who are living...

My second petition, to which there are 15 signatures, concerns the proposed eviction of Gypsy and Traveller families at Dale Farm and Hovefields by Basildon council. It was organised by Ann Dean. The families include invalid schoolchildren, some of whom have special needs, elderly people, and many who are living...

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 3 February (WA 48–9), whether the English Court of Appeal has jurisdiction in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; and whether it can instruct the demolition of a house or the eviction of its...

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 3 February (WA 48–9), whether the English Court of Appeal has jurisdiction in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; and whether it can instruct the demolition of a house or the eviction of its...

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Apostolides v Orams on 19 January, no court outside the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can inpractice compel the eviction of someone from their house in Northern Cyprus, nor the demolition of the house.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Apostolides v Orams on 19 January, no court outside the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can inpractice compel the eviction of someone from their house in Northern Cyprus, nor the demolition of the house.

I want to put on the record that the Government wholeheartedly support the Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Bill, which has been introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon). It would be hard not to support legislation that will help to remove distress and...

I want to put on the record that the Government wholeheartedly support the Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Bill, which has been introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon). It would be hard not to support legislation that will help to remove distress and...

Perhaps we could combine the great talent on these Benches with that phrase. However, replacing""a period not exceeding two months"" with "one period not exceeding two months" would put the position beyond doubt. As the provision is currently worded, there is still some doubt, because as long as the period...

Perhaps we could combine the great talent on these Benches with that phrase. However, replacing""a period not exceeding two months"" with "one period not exceeding two months" would put the position beyond doubt. As the provision is currently worded, there is still some doubt, because as long as the period...

I was going to make precisely the point that the Bill perhaps does not deal with a number of issues that could be addressed in Committee. One thing is clear: the core rationale behind the Bill is shared by all of us. My hon. Friend himself said that there was...

I was going to make precisely the point that the Bill perhaps does not deal with a number of issues that could be addressed in Committee. One thing is clear: the core rationale behind the Bill is shared by all of us. My hon. Friend himself said that there was...

The Minister mentions tenants entering into an agreement in good faith, but how about tenants entering into an agreement in bad faith? For example, would it be possible, under the Bill, for an individual who is living in a property and having their property repossessed to take on a tenant...

The Minister mentions tenants entering into an agreement in good faith, but how about tenants entering into an agreement in bad faith? For example, would it be possible, under the Bill, for an individual who is living in a property and having their property repossessed to take on a tenant...

I am not in the habit of guessing—I will leave that to others, who can do so in Committee. In fact, the Select Committee on Communities and Local Government was ahead of the organisations I mentioned. A report published on 24 February 2009 identified the issue and called on the...

I am not in the habit of guessing—I will leave that to others, who can do so in Committee. In fact, the Select Committee on Communities and Local Government was ahead of the organisations I mentioned. A report published on 24 February 2009 identified the issue and called on the...

Will the Minister hazard a guess as to why this relatively recent problem has arisen?

Will the Minister hazard a guess as to why this relatively recent problem has arisen?

The honest answer is that I am not aware of that, and I am happy to write to the hon. Gentleman on that point. However, we know that over the past 18 months due diligence has not really been at the forefront of the minds of bankers and financial institutions.

The honest answer is that I am not aware of that, and I am happy to write to the hon. Gentleman on that point. However, we know that over the past 18 months due diligence has not really been at the forefront of the minds of bankers and financial institutions.

In those representations, was there any recognition, by any of the money lenders, that they, in part, were responsible for some of the cases because they failed to have due diligence regarding those to whom they were lending money?

In those representations, was there any recognition, by any of the money lenders, that they, in part, were responsible for some of the cases because they failed to have due diligence regarding those to whom they were lending money?

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. In these difficult times, the Government would expect compassion to be at the forefront of the minds of those in positions of public authority. The Government have made great efforts to ensure that compassion is instituted in several organisations. That is why—the hon....

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. In these difficult times, the Government would expect compassion to be at the forefront of the minds of those in positions of public authority. The Government have made great efforts to ensure that compassion is instituted in several organisations. That is why—the hon....

In one of the cases that I mentioned, compassion was non-existent.

In one of the cases that I mentioned, compassion was non-existent.

I am not fully aware of the reasons for that. I hope that I will address some of the issues about which the hon. Gentleman is concerned in my speech, and I will write to him in due course on the consultation. No lender deliberately intends to evict a tenant...

I am not fully aware of the reasons for that. I hope that I will address some of the issues about which the hon. Gentleman is concerned in my speech, and I will write to him in due course on the consultation. No lender deliberately intends to evict a tenant...

The consultation is a worthy exercise and I wish to tease out the level of Government involvement. Why, given that the consultation exercise closed on 14 October, have the Government not yet issued a response? Surely that would have been helpful before today's debate?

The consultation is a worthy exercise and I wish to tease out the level of Government involvement. Why, given that the consultation exercise closed on 14 October, have the Government not yet issued a response? Surely that would have been helpful before today's debate?

I particularly support my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East in his endeavours to bring his private Member's Bill to fruition because it sits neatly alongside the suite of actions that the Government have taken. One of those actions is worth mentioning. The hon. Member for Colchester talked about...

I particularly support my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East in his endeavours to bring his private Member's Bill to fruition because it sits neatly alongside the suite of actions that the Government have taken. One of those actions is worth mentioning. The hon. Member for Colchester talked about...

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Department did all that he would expect to ensure that full support was given to the Bill and to my hon. Friend. What strikes me most about short-notice eviction is the injustice of it. The majority of private rented sector tenants are...

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Department did all that he would expect to ensure that full support was given to the Bill and to my hon. Friend. What strikes me most about short-notice eviction is the injustice of it. The majority of private rented sector tenants are...

I asked about the regulatory impact assessment, although I decided to stay in my place rather than run to the Library to get a copy. Did the Department write or influence the RIA? If so, that would reassure me.

I asked about the regulatory impact assessment, although I decided to stay in my place rather than run to the Library to get a copy. Did the Department write or influence the RIA? If so, that would reassure me.