- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the designation of a Scottish craft town, similar to the book town model that has assisted in the regeneration of Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13645 on 9 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11467 by Fiona Hyslop on 16 April 2008, whether it is satisfied with the range of science projects from all parts of Scotland applying for funding from its science engagement grant scheme.
Answer
I refer the member to the to answer to question S3W-13650 on 9 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to householders wishing to measure the extent to which they waste energy.
Answer
The recently launched Energy Saving Scotland advice network, funded by Scottish Government and managed by the Energy Saving Trust, provides advice and support to householders wishing to reduce their energy use and cut their fuel bills.
Smart meters and real time displays could also play a role and we work closely with the UK Government in this policy area. The UK Government is already undertaking a major UK-wide pilot to gain a good understanding of the costs and benefits of smart meters. This pilot includes Scottish consumers and we await the results of the pilot with keen interest.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 9 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it or its agencies give to the development of a network of local craft fairs across Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of the traditional crafts sector in Scotland, which are an expanding part of Scotland’s successful creative industries.
The Scottish Arts Council is pursuing a range of initiatives to develop opportunities for the promotion of Scottish makers’ work.
I have asked the Scottish Arts Council to write to you directly to provide further information and detail on the work they are undertaking in relation to the crafts sector.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on the purchase of electronic physiotherapy aids.
Answer
Health Facilities Scotland published a safety warning, which included advice on the purchase of physiotherapy equipment, on 29 September 2007. Safety Action Notice SAN (SC) 06/44 Physiotherapy ultrasound machines: calibration of acoustic power / intensity, advised that “Before procuring new devices, manufacturers and suppliers should be required to provide evidence that their products are built and tested to relevant standards.”
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how the NHS assesses the efficacy of electronic physiotherapy aids.
Answer
Medical devices are regulated in the UK by the Medical Devices Regulations and enforced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK Competent Authority. It is deemed that European Conformity marked medical devices are fit for purpose and all questions regarding the efficacy of medical devices are brought to the attention of the MHRA.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 5 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rents have been per square metre for business premises in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun and (b) Scotland in each year since 1999.
Answer
This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government and it is not possible to obtain this information from external sources as no one calculates average rents per square metre for business premises.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies registered in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun and (b) Scotland went into liquidation in each year since 1999.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
The official insolvency statistics, published by the Insolvency Service, are the most comprehensive record of the number of corporate and individual insolvencies. However, these figures are only published at a Scotland level.
The following table presents figures for insolvencies in Scotland from 1998 to 2007.
| Year | Individuals | Companies |
| Total | Sequestrations | Protected Trust Deeds | Compulsory Liquidations | Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations | Total |
| 1998 | 4,465 | 3,016 | 1,449 | 338 | 228 | 566 |
| 1999 | 5,339 | 3,195 | 2,144 | 364 | 208 | 572 |
| 2000 | 5,766 | 2,965 | 2,801 | 344 | 239 | 583 |
| 2001 | 6,827 | 3,048 | 3,779 | 378 | 224 | 602 |
| 2002 | 8,389 | 3,215 | 5,174 | 556 | 232 | 788 |
| 2003 | 8,780 | 3,328 | 5,452 | 436 | 195 | 631 |
| 2004 | 9,321 | 3,297 | 6,024 | 431 | 190 | 621 |
| 2005 | 11,846 | 4,965 | 6,881 | 420 | 149 | 569 |
| 2006 | 13,638 | 5,430 | 8,208 | 416 | 133 | 549 |
| 2007 | 13,814 | 6,219 | 7,595 | 439 | 100 | 539 |
Source: The Insolvency Service
Note: Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), an agency of the Scottish Government, is responsible for administering the process of personal bankruptcy and recording corporate insolvencies in Scotland. Further information about insolvency in Scotland can be found on the AiB website at .
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 June 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the business rate poundage has been in each year since 1999.
Answer
The following table shows the business rate poundage in each year since 1999:
| Year | Rate Poundage |
| 1999-2000 | 48.9p |
| 2000-01 | 45.8p |
| 2001-02 | 47.0p |
| 2002-03 | 47.8p |
| 2003-04 | 47.8p |
| 2004-05 | 48.8p |
| 2005-06 | 46.1p |
| 2006-07 | 44.9p |
| 2007-08 | 44.1p |
| 2008-09 | 45.8p |
Notes:
1. A poundage supplement has been payable since 2003-04 in respect of business properties with a rateable value which exceeds a prescribed threshold. In 2008-09, the supplement is 0.4p on rateable values above £29,000.
2. Some non-domestic properties are exempt from business rates, while others may be eligible for reliefs such as the Small Business Bonus Scheme, available for subjects with a rateable value of £15,000 or less.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money Scottish Enterprise has invested in Ayrshire in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency since May 1999.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you in this regard.
