Committee
Enterprise and Culture Committee, 07 Mar 2007
07 Mar 2007 · S2 · Enterprise and Culture Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007 (draft)
The minister will be aware that Citizens Advice Scotland has given committee members a briefing. For the purposes of clarification, I will briefly go through the three points and one request that it makes and ask whether you can confirm that you have dealt with them all—I think you have—in your remarks.Citizens Advice Scotland seeks reassurance"that monitoring of DAS will include information on the age, tenure, income and debt level of clients accessing the scheme … that research is carried out to determine the scale and nature of those unable to access DAS as amended"and—I recall you saying this—"that composition of debts will be introduced in later regulations",should research prove that to be necessary.Can you also confirm that you will issue non-statutory guidance on the availability of a free service to those who access the scheme?
In the same item of business
The Convener:
SNP
I invite the minister to speak to the regulations.
Allan Wilson:
Lab
When I commended the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc (Scotland) Bill to Parliament on 24 May 2006, I made a commitment to introduce at stage 2 an element of deb...
The Convener:
SNP
Thank you. I know that Christine May has some questions.
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
The minister will be aware that Citizens Advice Scotland has given committee members a briefing. For the purposes of clarification, I will briefly go through...
The Convener:
SNP
I will take all members' questions now, so that the minister can answer them together.
Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green):
Green
Christine May has covered the main issue that I wanted to raise—the removal of the requirement to provide free advice. That would be counterproductive. If th...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
The short answer to all three of Christine May's questions is yes. The caveat to my answer is that a new Administration will be in place after 3 May.
The Convener:
SNP
Is that a forecast?
Allan Wilson:
Lab
No—I think you will find that it is a certainty.
Christine May:
Lab
Is anyone betting on it?
Allan Wilson:
Lab
Whatever happens, there will be a new Executive in place, and nothing I say can commit it to a decision. Theoretically, the new Executive could abandon the c...
The Convener:
SNP
The minister has covered all the issues that have been raised.
Motion moved,
That the Enterprise and Culture Committee recommends that the draft Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007 be approved.—Allan Wilson.
Motion agreed to.