- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Federation of Small Businesses' proposal for a small business rates relief scheme has been discussed at any meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee and, if so, on what dates.
Answer
The Joint Ministerial Committee has not discussed this matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, if small businesses are subject to a disproportionate burden in the level of business rates they are required to pay, why this is the case and what its position is in relation to the evidence given by the Federation of Small Businesses on this issue to the Local Government Committee's inquiry into non-domestic rates.
Answer
There is some evidence which suggests that non-domestic rates for small businesses represent a greater proportion of turnover and profit than their counterparts in larger businesses. We are considering the position on rate relief for small businesses and will announce before Christmas what conclusions have been drawn and how we intend to proceed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 8 December 1999 it has had discussions with the Confederation of British Industry regarding a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Confederation of British Industry, CBI Scotland, is represented on a partnership working group which includes representatives from various business organisations and was established to consider aspects of the revaluation of non-domestic rates and the rating system generally. The working group has met twice since December 1999.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates its Cabinet has discussed a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Cabinet regularly discusses issues relating to the financing of local government of which matters relating to business rates forms part.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a form of small business rates relief scheme would assist in achieving its target of creating 100,000 new small businesses by 2009.
Answer
I refer Mr Fergus Ewing to the answer I gave to question S1W-11068 on 22 November.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a small business rates relief scheme; if so, whether the scheme introduced will be that advocated by (a) the Federation of Small Businesses, (b) the Forum of Private Business or (c) the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in Modernising Local Government Finance: A Green Paper and, if its scheme differs from all of these, whether it will outline its proposals.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11050.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 8 December 1999 it has met (a) Ministers and (b) officials of the National Assembly for Wales to discuss a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Executive maintains close contact with the National Assembly for Wales on local taxation issues including those relating to small business rates relief.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in Scotland are not liable for non-domestic rates.
Answer
This information is not collected centrally.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 8 December 1999 it has met with (a) the Federation of Small Businesses and (b) the Forum for Private Business to discuss a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Executive meets on a regular basis with representatives from a wide range of business organisations as part of a partnership working group established to consider aspects of the revaluation of non-domestic rates and the rating system generally. The working group has met twice since December 1999. Specific meetings with representatives of the Federation of Small Businesses were held on 11 July and 3 October 2000 and with the Forum for Private Business on 7 July and 29 September 2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it first considered any relationship between a small business rates relief scheme and the transitional rates relief scheme.
Answer
The current transitional relief scheme provides relief to all qualifying businesses, including small businesses.