Just about every council has used debt collectors and after conviction, private bailiffs.

Whilst there are issues with slack accounting leading to action against the wrong people, (and there should be laws for automatic redress) the fact remains, if people do not pay their taxes, society must have the means to get at the money.

Debt collection companies need stronger regulation, granted, but at the end of the day HMRC have a duty to us all to ensure a government can enact its program. Otherwise, talk of a social agenda, prudent small government, large government, whatever, is rather academic.

We vote for government to do things and without money, they can't.