Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Official Report 723KB pdf

Subordinate Legislation

Diligence against Earnings (Variation) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/345)

Agenda item 3 is consideration of the Diligence against Earnings (Variation) (Scotland) Regulations 2018. The regulations will raise the threshold beneath which deductions may not be taken from earnings by arrestment and will increase the sum that is protected from arrestment in a bank account. Does any member have any issues that they wish to raise?

I support the threshold being raised; I do not have a problem with that. However, there is the wider issue that we have been looking at recently about the variety of ways in which people can have their debts managed. There seem to be differences in the system; it does not seem to be very joined up. Under one system, a person is allowed one amount to live on and, under another system, the amount is completely different or calculated in a different way. It would be useful to raise that matter with the Government, either in writing or when the minister comes to the committee. I know that the matter is complex, but we could discuss the wider issue about whether it is possible to make the system a bit more joined up.

Is the committee content with the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

The instrument comes into force, subject to that caveat.