Question reference: S1W-00018
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 1 June 1999
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Current status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 June 1999
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends after 1 July to request Scotland's water authorities to refrain from signing any contracts in connection with relevant measures relating to the implementation of the European Urban Waste Water Directive (91/271/EEC) until a full review has been undertaken of the impact on Scotland's fish processing industry and its findings considered.
Answer
To introduce a delay in signing these contracts would almost certainly lead to the water authorities failing to meet the statutory requirements imposed by the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Clearly the water authorities must continue to plan to comply with their statutory obligations. Failure to do so would leave the UK open to infraction proceedings by the European Commission; any subsequent fines would fall to be met by the Scottish Executive.
This issue is particularly relevant to the North of Scotland Water Authority. I am aware that the Authority is working in partnership with the fish processing industry to find ways to minimise the cost implications arising from compliance with the Directive.