Judgments: Debts

Mr. Todd
To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice whether any restrictions are placed on the sale of data relating to court judgments by debt consolidation businesses and debt advice agencies.

Ms Harman
No restrictions are placed on the sale of data relating to court judgments by debt consolidation and debt advice agencies. In 2006, the Register of Judgments Orders and Fines Regulations 2005 came into force. The regulations provide powers to the Registrar of the Register to refuse access to the Register to any person whom he suspects of using the data for unlawful purposes or in breach of any of the data protection principles as set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.