§ Mr. Rankinasked the Lord Advocate if he is aware of the hardship caused to many purchasers of goods on hire purchase by the demands made by hire-purchase companies of sums greatly in excess of the original price of the goods concerned; and if he will introduce legislation limiting the amounts that may be so demanded.
§ Lord AdvocateNo. Any complaints which I have received in this field have been, almost without exception, in regard to credit-sales and not to hire-purchase. Additional protection was given to purchasers and guarantors under credit-sale agreements by the Credit-Sale Agreements (Scotland) Act, 1961.
In any event it would, I am sure, be unwise to consider legislation on a matter such as this before the Molony Committee has reported and there has been an opportunity to study its recommendations.