To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 28 January 2009, Official Report, column 644W, on rented housing: private sector, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effect of the use of credit scoring by landlords and estate agents on those wishing to obtain private rented sector accommodation who previously had their privately-owned property repossessed. (263930)

We have not made any such assessment. The release of the results of credit scoring by landlords and estate agents would understandably be restricted by Data Protection issues. We would not expect landlords or agents to discriminate against tenants who had previously had their privately owned property repossessed providing the tenant in question had met the requirements of their tenancy agreement.