CIVIL liberty groups and politicians are opposed to any plans by the government to force local authorities to provide banks with details of council tax arrears and student debt as part of a drive to improve credit scoring. The concern was voiced after it emerged that the banking industry has been pressing for wider circulation of all types of credit data in a move to prevent consumers from borrowing more than they can afford.
Data protection is at present a reserved matter forWestminister. A spokesman for the British Bankers' Association said: "I can confirm we are talking to the government on how this can best be addressed.
"Access to this information would help lenders to form a comprehensive picture of a customer's overall commitments when assessing their ability to repay any borrowing."
But John Scott, chairman of the Scottish Human Rights Centre, and Melanie Ward, president of the National Union of Students in Scotland, led protests against the plan.
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