Transport and the Environment Committee, 26 Nov 2001
Meeting date: Monday, November 26, 2001
Official Report
237KB pdf
Petition
Scottish Water Authority (PE411)
Agenda item 5 is consideration of petition PE411 from the Scottish Co-operative and Mutual Forum on the mutualisation of the Scottish water authority.
We have considered the issue extensively both in the report of our inquiry into water and the water industry and in our consideration of the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill. I suggest that we take the approach that we adopted with a previous petition and treat it as written evidence as part of our stage 1 consideration of the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill. Is the committee happy that we proceed on that basis?
Yes, but I would like to make a few comments. The petition's proposal is that we should
"examine with care and diligence the case for the establishment of a mutually owned and managed Scottish Water Authority".
We gave that proposal some careful consideration in private with our water adviser, but perhaps that was not reflected adequately in our final report. Allied with that, the minister at the time referred to mutualisation in a dismissive way. It would be appropriate for us to say to the petitioners that the proposal was given due care and diligence.
The petition also asks that we make representations that the industry be given a derogation from the Competition Act 1998. Our inquiry was not unanimous on that point.
I take those points on board.
If no other members want to comment, is the committee agreed that we proceed in the way that I have suggested?
Members indicated agreement.
I thank everyone for their patience and persistence over a long but useful day.
Meeting closed at 14:13.