FEWER people are going bankrupt in Scotland, new statistics show.

The number of personal insolvencies were down 14.7% to 3411 in the second quarter of the 2013-14 financial year, compared with the first quarter. That is 16.1% lower than the same period in the previous financial year, reinforcing a long-term decline since 2008-09.

Bankruptcies awarded and protected trust deeds registered both decreased, according to figures released by Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB).

There were 1170 debt payment programmes approved under the Scottish Government's Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS), which allows people struggling with debt to pay it back over a longer period.

The figure is down 2.5% on the previous quarter but up 5.4% on the same quarter of the previous year. The number of approved debt payment programmes has increased almost four-fold in four years. A total of £7.2 million was repaid through DAS during this quarter.

Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing welcomed the reduction in personal insolvencies.

"The Scottish Government and AiB have carried out a significant amount of work on policy and legislative reform this year with the aim of creating a financial health service for Scotland," he said.

"Following our recent efforts to raise awareness of the DAS scheme and its benefits, there has been an increase in individuals opting for the Debt Arrangement Scheme, with £7.2 million having been repaid through DAS this quarter."