Ms Josephine Feehily:

Direct debit requires confirmation. In respect of next year's direct debits, we will be writing to people in the middle of December, advising them that we are proceeding with the direct debit for the following year. That is part of the code of banking regulation. If a local authority decides to increase the rate, I will certainly have to engage in a communications process. We will not proceed to increase their direct debit or increase their deduction without engaging with them. I certainly will not do that.