Chamber and committees

This response is related to the answer to question S5W-21488 on 27 February 2019. The response is copied here:

An update on progress in preparation of the public sectors accounts was provided to PAPLS at the meeting on 29 November 2018 https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Public_Audit/Meeting%20Papers/PAPLS_Meeting_papers_PUBLIC_29_Nov_2018.pdf .

The committee was advised that, as Audit Scotland acknowledges, the Scottish Government delivers on all its financial reporting requirements and has delivered a range of new financial publications as a result of the Scotland Acts. We are progressing a plan to achieve audit and publication of a 2017-18 product, as explained in the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the Convener on 23 November, and included in these committee papers.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

An update on progress in preparation of the public sectors accounts was provided to PAPLS at the meeting on 29 November 2018 https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Public_Audit/Meeting%20Papers/PAPLS_Meeting_papers_PUBLIC_29_Nov_2018.pdf .

The committee was advised that, as Audit Scotland acknowledges, the Scottish Government delivers on all its financial reporting requirements and has delivered a range of new financial publications as a result of the Scotland Acts. We are progressing a plan to achieve audit and publication of a 2017-18 product, as explained in the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the Convener on 23 November, and included in these committee papers.

Scottish Water invests around £650m pa to improve all aspects of its service to customers across Scotland and also enable growth to support new housing. This involves thousands of projects ranging from major capital projects such as the Shieldhall Tunnel to small value capital jobs on its asset base. As with all large utilities, much of this work can be intrusive in nature such as building new water and sewer pipelines, new treatment works and pumping stations and maintaining 60,000 miles of water mains and sewers. This often results in Scottish Water having an obligation to make payment to customers, landowners and occupiers to ensure that they are recompensed appropriately whilst it delivers its extensive investment programme.

In addition to the figures previously listed, Scottish Water has paid the following over the last 4 years, which represents less than 0.5% of the cost of delivering its investment programmes:

My officials will respond to the member's FoI request on this matter.

The regular members of the group are as follows:

• Bob Irvine, Scottish Government
• Jon Rathjen, Scottish Government
• Douglas Millican, Scottish Water
• Simon Parsons, Scottish Water
• Tom Harvie-Clark, Scottish Water
• Alan Sutherland, Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS)
• Ian Tait, WICS
• Sue Petch, Drinking Water Quality Regulator
• Jennifer Leonard, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Sam Ghibaldan, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)
• Gail Walker, CAS
• Peter Peacock, Customer Forum

The Scottish Government will further develop the Principles of Charging in discussion with Scottish Water, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Customer Forum. In examining existing discounts we shall engage with relevant interests including COSLA and organisations such as Age Concern. Customers will be able to contribute as part of any further consultation.

The Scottish Government considers that Age Concern would have an interest in any potential changes to the available household discounts. We will engage with them as part of any further consultations on this matter.

As set out in my answer to question S5W-20696, where staff are on call and require accommodation, it is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure that they comply with any statutory requirements. There is no requirement for them to provide evidence but mechanisms exist for staff to raise any concerns about the provision or quality of rest accommodation, including locally with management or Staff Side representatives.

Scottish Water should only charge for property drainage in situations where Scottish Water is providing a service to the premises.

Scottish Water’s position is that (i) the Chataroo case was decided on its own unique set of facts and (ii) now that the provisions of s.20A of the 2005 are in force (as of 4 March 2016), the court would apply a different legal test when considering licensed providers’ rights to charge the end-customer.