Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill approved by Scottish Parliament

Bill includes provision for Covid-19 eviction and bankruptcy protections to be extended by six months to 31 March 2022

The Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill has been approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Following three days of scrutiny, Members of the Scottish Parliament voted yesterday, by 90 to 32, in favour of the Bill which provides for the extension from 30 September 2021 to 31 March 2022 of provisions including -

• the ability for hearings across courts and tribunals to be held remotely;
• an increased notice period of six months to protect private and social sector tenants from eviction, up from the pre-pandemic 28-day notice period; and
• an increase in the minimum debt level that an individual must owe before a creditor can make them bankrupt to £10,000, up from £3,000 pre-pandemic.

Welcoming the approval of the Bill, Deputy Minister John Swinney confirmed that it is due to receive Royal Assent in early August, adding that -

'I thank members of Parliament for the way in which they have engaged in the process to enhance the legislation, to advance issues that were of importance to members, and to ensure that we have the correct statutory framework in place to deal with what is an ongoing threat that we face from coronavirus.'

For more information, see Coronavirus Bill passed from gov.scot