Scottish Executive

Enterprise

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many VAT registrations there have been in Dundee in each of the last three years for which figures are available, also expressed as a rate per 1,000 of the population aged 16 and above.

Jim Mather: Data on the number of VAT registrations are released annually by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). The latest available data refers to all VAT registrations taking place in Scotland in 2006.

The following table shows the number of VAT registrations and the rate per 1,000 resident population (aged 16+) in Dundee City local authority from 2004 to 2006:

Source: BERR.Note: These figures do not account for all business activity as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses were located in Dundee in (a) 2000 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jim Mather: Data on the VAT-registered stock of businesses are released annually by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). The latest available data refers to the stock of VAT-registered businesses in Scotland at the beginning of 2007. These figures are consistent with the VAT registration and de-registration data published by BERR.

The following table shows the VAT stock of businesses (start of year) in Dundee City local authority in 2000 and 2007:

Source: BERR.Note: These figures do not account for all business activity as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.

Ministerial Cars

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for reductions in the annual mileage of ministerial cars.

John Swinney: There are no specific targets set. Travel is always made with a view to supporting the efficient conduct of Scottish Government business. Wherever practicable Cabinet Secretaries and ministers use public transport and walk to their engagements.

Rail Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12868 by Stewart Stevenson on 29 May 2008, when the contracts for (a) Ernst and Young LLP and (b) Brodies LLP were awarded; what the specification of the work required was in each instance, and whether the consultants’ reports will be made available in the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre.

Stewart Stevenson: Ernst and Young LLP were engaged in October 2006 with a remit for financial elements including revenues and growth, fares and affordability, and options on the ScotRail franchise extension.

Brodies LLP were engaged in January of 2007 with a remit to consider legal, including contractual and procurement, issues around the franchise extension.Additional material including work by both Ernst and Young and Brodies will be made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and the Transport Scotland website.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport in relation to increasing the frequency of passenger rail services between Kilmarnock and Carlisle.

Stewart Stevenson: No meetings have been held with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport specifically to discuss increasing the frequency of passenger rail services between Kilmarnock and Carlisle.

Transport

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be a sufficiently high cost-benefit ratio to enable a transport project to receive central government funding.

Stewart Stevenson: An appraisal using Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) is required when government funding, support or approval is sought for justified proposals to change the transport system. There is no minimum benefit to cost ratio threshold set within STAG. STAG ensures that the contribution of transport improvements to the economy is fully assessed alongside contributions and impacts on the environment, accessibility and social inclusion, safety, and integration. Approval for funding is based on the assessment of the proposal across all five STAG criteria.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research it has commissioned into the effect of aircraft noise on young children.

Stewart Stevenson: We have not commissioned any research into the effect of aircraft noise on young children.