Written Question · S3W-17156 · Session 3
How many people have been declared bankrupt in each quarter of 2008, also broken down by sheriffdom.
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been declared bankrupt in each quarter of 2008, also broken down by sheriffdom.
The answer
The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland and publishes statistics on personal insolvencies in Scotland by financial year and since 2005-06, by quarter, in their annual report.
Prior to 1 April 2008, all petitions for bankruptcy were considered by the Scottish Courts and numbers were therefore recorded by sheriffdom and by sheriff court area within each sheriffdom.
Since 1 April 2008, creditor petitions are considered by the sheriff and the Accountant in Bankruptcy has responsibility for bankruptcy awards as a result of debtor applications. Awards continue to be recorded by sheriffdom area and awards as a result of creditor petitions can be further broken down by sheriff court. Information in respect of debtor applications can be shown by sheriffdom area but are not allocated to individual sheriff court areas.
The following table provides the number of bankruptcies for quarter 4 of financial year 2007-08 (1 January to 31 March 2008) and for quarters 1 and 2 of 2008-09 (1 April to 30 June and 1 July to 30 September 2008). There has been a significant increase in the number of people becoming bankrupt in Scotland since 1 April 2008 compared to previous years. This increase is attributed to the bankruptcy reforms contained in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 including the introduction of the ˜Low Income, Low Asset'' (LILA) route for debtors applying for their own bankruptcy.
Further information, including the AiB annual reports, can be found on the Accountant in Bankruptcy''s website at www.aib.gov.uk.
Number of Awards of Bankruptcy by Sheriffdom and Sheriff Court
Sheriffdom (Sheriff Court)
| 1 January to
31 March 2008
| 1 April to
30 June 2008
| 1 July to
30 September 2008
Tayside, Central and Fife
|
|
|
Awarded by AiB
|
| 540
| 701
Alloa
| 15
| 4
| 5
Arbroath
| 16
| 4
| 4
Cupar
| 15
| 6
| 6
Dundee
| 86
| 105
| 14
Dunfermline
| 41
| 22
| 26
Prior to 1 April 2008, all petitions for bankruptcy were considered by the Scottish Courts and numbers were therefore recorded by sheriffdom and by sheriff court area within each sheriffdom.
Since 1 April 2008, creditor petitions are considered by the sheriff and the Accountant in Bankruptcy has responsibility for bankruptcy awards as a result of debtor applications. Awards continue to be recorded by sheriffdom area and awards as a result of creditor petitions can be further broken down by sheriff court. Information in respect of debtor applications can be shown by sheriffdom area but are not allocated to individual sheriff court areas.
The following table provides the number of bankruptcies for quarter 4 of financial year 2007-08 (1 January to 31 March 2008) and for quarters 1 and 2 of 2008-09 (1 April to 30 June and 1 July to 30 September 2008). There has been a significant increase in the number of people becoming bankrupt in Scotland since 1 April 2008 compared to previous years. This increase is attributed to the bankruptcy reforms contained in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 including the introduction of the ˜Low Income, Low Asset'' (LILA) route for debtors applying for their own bankruptcy.
Further information, including the AiB annual reports, can be found on the Accountant in Bankruptcy''s website at www.aib.gov.uk.
Number of Awards of Bankruptcy by Sheriffdom and Sheriff Court
Sheriffdom (Sheriff Court)
| 1 January to
31 March 2008
| 1 April to
30 June 2008
| 1 July to
30 September 2008
Tayside, Central and Fife
|
|
|
Awarded by AiB
|
| 540
| 701
Alloa
| 15
| 4
| 5
Arbroath
| 16
| 4
| 4
Cupar
| 15
| 6
| 6
Dundee
| 86
| 105
| 14
Dunfermline
| 41
| 22
| 26
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-17156 by reference.