The standards referred to in paragraph 17 relate to the standards and obligations to be met by both the community service schemes and potential external placement providers in relation to compliance with relevant working conditions. This includes areas such as health and safety and equal opportunities. These are set out in paragraphs 18 to 25 of the National Objectives and Standards for Community Service, and are maintained in the Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Objectives and Standards since 1 June 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Each scheme must meet the requirements set out in Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Objectives and Standards for Community Service since 1 June 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009 and S3W-28421 on 6 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There are no specified restrictions. However, community service schemes must ensure that work placements are not used in situations that could deprive others of paid employment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28366 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28366 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Management of regional parks is a matter for the relevant local authorities.

Reports commissioned by VisitScotland since 2002 indicate visitor numbers (expressed as tourist days) and the estimated local economic contribution from these visits for the Clyde Muirshiels Regional Park which was formally designated in 1990, as follows:

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
No. tourist days (thousands)	1,626	1,691.2	1,750.6	1,312.6	1,210.2	1,228.4	1,221.3
Estimated contribution to local economy (£ million)	76.7	80.16	84.19	65.0	61.4	65.08	67.5

 

Both the Pentland Hills and Fife (Lomond Hills) Regional Parks were formally designated in 1986. I am not aware of any data on the local economic contribution attributable to these Parks, or for the Loch Lomond Regional Park (designated in 1988), the management of which has been taken over by the National Park Authority as part of the larger Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28366 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Official statistics on business closures, derived from VAT/PAYE de-registrations data, are released annually by the Office for National Statistics.

The VAT/PAYE de-registrations data cannot specifically distinguish businesses operated by disabled people. Therefore rates of closures of businesses operated by disabled people, as opposed to that of business overall, are not available.

Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Standards for Community Service from 1 June 2009, maintains the requirement that community service work placements should not be used in situations which are likely to deprive others of the opportunity for paid employment. It is for each community service scheme, in each local authority, to ensure that this requirement is met, based on the service managers'' assessment and taking into account the local circumstances and needs in each case.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVR) 2000 is reserved to Westminster. This legislation sets out that all new buses have had to be accessible since 31 December 2000. All other buses must be fully accessible by 1 January 2017 at the latest and all coaches by 1 January 2020 at the latest.