To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now issued best practice guidance on the use of bailiffs by magistrates courts; and if he will make a statement.

I hope that it will be possible to publish the guidance next month, and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received by clerks of the court as to the actions or conduct of bailiffs involved in the collection of poll tax debts; and of these how many cases resulted in the complaint being held in favour of the complainant.

Bailiffs used to levy distress in community charge cases are employed by the local authority, and not by the court. Justices' clerks will therefore not necessarily be aware of complaints about their conduct, and we do not have information about their number. However, the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 make provision for a person aggrieved by the levy of, or an attempt to levy, a distress to appeal to a magistrates court. A total of 14 such appeals were heard during the last financial year. Information about their outcome is not readily available.