§ COLONEL DENNY (Kilmarnock Burghs)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, if he will consider the desirability, in view of the revelations of money-lending transactions made recently in the Courts of Law, of introducing some legislation whereby the creditors of people engaged in small businesses may be protected from the actions of such lenders, by throwing the onus upon all lenders of sums above a specified rate of interest of proving the solvency of the borrower at the time of lending, their claim otherwise not to rank; and, whether he is aware that one Isaac Gordon, having lent the sum of £45, was repaid £108, and still claimed £41 from the borrower?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Sir CHARLES PEARSON,) Edinburgh and St. Andrew's UniversitiesThe particular case referred to has not been brought under my notice, but I am aware similar cases have recently occurred. I shall be glad to consider carefully the suggestion made in my hon. Friend's Question; but I would point out that it involves a partial re-introduction of the laws against usury, and would require very ample public discussion before any action could be taken upon it.