Consumer Credit Bill

I strongly agree with what my right hon. Friend is saying. The poor and the less well off face a major problem, but the problem extends more widely than that. Lenders check whether people are a good credit risk by ascertaining whether there is a record of default. If there is no such record, no regard will be given to the income and the other obligations of the borrower. The Office of Fair Trading has the ability to issue notes on responsible lending. It should have a responsibility also to issue enforceable and abiding guidance on what responsible lending is.