- 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 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 whether it will introduce a small business rates relief scheme on 1 April 2001 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
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 what research it has carried out since 8 December 1999 on the issue of a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Valuation and Rating Council (SVRC) has been considering the issue of small business rates relief and the Small Business Consultative Group (SBCG) has been considering the wider issue of assistance for small businesses.
- 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 business rates represent a greater burden to small businesses than to larger businesses.
Answer
It will depend on the particular business, but in general there is some evidence which suggests that non-domestic rates for small businesses represent a greater proportion of turnover than their counterparts in larger businesses.
- 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 since 8 December 1999 it has met (a) Ministers and (b) officials of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to discuss a small business rates relief scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Executive maintains close contact with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions 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 whether it will consult the Local Government Committee prior to making any ministerial statement on a small business rates relief scheme and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Local Government Committee invited Ministers to report back on the Executive's thinking on the issue of small business rates relief. This will be done before any rate relief scheme is established.
- 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, if it decides to introduce a small business rates relief scheme, such a decision will be announced by means of (a) a Ministerial Statement, (b) an answer to a parliamentary question or (c) a press release.
Answer
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. Decisions on the most appropriate method of such an announcement will be made nearer the time.
- 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.
