§ Mr. David Steelasked the Lord Advocate if he will raise the limit on the liability of wages to arrestment in execution under the powers of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1966.
The Lord AdvocateAs the law stands at present a debtor's wages can be arrested in the hands of his employer to the extent on one-half of the surplus of wages over £4 a week. Under the Law218W Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1966 there is provision to amend this sum by Order in Council. The Scottish Law Commission is currently examining the whole question of diligence and I know that this matter of arrestment of wages is one which it is currently considering and on which it will report. In these circumstances it would be inadvisable to deal with this matter before the Scottish Law Commission has reported.