Civil servants to confiscate passports without court order

*gavan* · 23-04-2009, 8:00 PM

Drip, drip, drip ...... Yet another freedom threatened:

BBC NEWS | Politics | Concern at passport seizure plan

Quote:

Plans to allow civil servants and private firms to seize passports without a court order violate the constitution, peers have warned.

The government wants to take passports and driving licences away from parents who refuse to pay child support.

It says it would only use the measures - contained in the Welfare Reform Bill - as a "last resort".

I see - so only for awful parents and only as a last resort. Right.

A bit like all those spying powers they needed to 'keep us safe' that ended up being used to spy on parents sending their kids to possibly the wrong school.

janmars · 23-04-2009, 8:31 PM

This country has had it, hasn't it...

Steve.EX · 23-04-2009, 9:12 PM

*Slightly Off-Topic*
Without "going on", i have been "at the mercy" of said CSA for a couple of years now. I would liken it to a "psychodelic experience".
I consider myself to be both honourable and extemely logical. The "policies" that these CSA people "follow" really, truly have to be experienced to believed. I am at a loss as to how some of their "operatives" can actually live with themselves to be honest!

kBm · 24-04-2009, 6:49 AM

I like the 'private firms' bit - that means a debt collector could expand into 'CSA enforcement' - they've already got the heavies on standby....

dBrowne · 24-04-2009, 7:11 AM

Could they do so with the passports of resident foreign nationals?

ukdan · 24-04-2009, 7:30 AM

my misses is owed over £20000 on non payment of csa payments because 'he' wouldn't pay for the first 7years of her daughters life. He has been in employment all the time, moving from job to job.Its people like that who have forced them to employ other tactics. They have caught up with him now though!