The Act Commentary Offences Section 24 – Modification of offences under section 67 of the 1985 Act
83.This section amends section 67 of the 1985 Act. It widens the grounds of the offence in subsection (2) of that section to include the disposal of assets. It repeals subsection (8) so that a failure to keep records is no longer an offence under section 67.
84.The limit set out in subsection (9) on credit that can be applied for, without disclosing the information required about the debtor’s circumstances, is increased to £500. A further requirement to disclose the required information is added to subsection (9), and applies where a debtor already has debts of at least £1,000 (or another amount which is substituted for the £1,000 by the Scottish Ministers in regulations made under the power now contained in subsection (9)) the debtor has to disclose the required information when applying for any amount of credit.
85.New subsection (9A) provides that, in calculating the amount of credit in relation to the limits in subsection (9), any liability for utility supplies or council tax can be ignored.
86.The amendments of subsection (10) provide that a failure to disclose a BRO or BRU made in England or Wales amounts to a failure to provide the information required in subsection (9). The same provision is made for BROs and BRUs made in Scotland by new sections 56C and 56H of the 1985 Act respectively (see paragraphs 1111 to 1818 above).
87.The addition of new subsection (11A) clarifies that an act prohibited by section 67 of the 1985 Act will still be an offence in Scotland even if it takes place elsewhere in the UK.