Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority over the development of railways in Scotland. I understand that the emerging conclusion of the review is that no alterations should be made to the guideline maps at this stage other than those necessary to ensure consistency with the transport network maps that have been developed for the countries seeking accession to the EU. The SSRA is currently drawing up its 10-year strategy plan for the GB railway network. Future proposals for TEN status of railway lines in Great Britain will be a matter for the SSRA and ultimately DETR, who would be responsible for putting them to the Commission.

The Scottish Executive has issued guidance to public authorities on the European Convention of Human Rights entitled A New Era of Rights and Responsibilities: Core Guidance for Public Authorities. This document is available on the Internet and covers all articles of the convention, including Article 10.

Waste water from the outlets of sewage treatment works is used as wash water for cleaning screens in screen houses at the inlet of some works. The process is carried out automatically without the need, in general, for manual intervention. It may, however, produce a local atmosphere of a hazardous nature. The Health and Safety Executive has published general guidance for both employers and employees on the health hazards of working with sewage. The Water Services Association (now Water UK) has also published similar guidance. This guidance has been implemented by the water authorities.

Waste water from the outlet of sewage works is used in some plants to wash screens in screen houses using an automated process. However potable water is used in most cases. Waste water (sewage works effluent) is used at 10 sewage works to wash screens in screen houses:

North Of Scotland Water Authority - Biologically treated waste water is used at Persely, Halkirk and Tain.

East Of Scotland Water Authority - Settled waste water is presently used at Edinburgh and Dunfermline. Biologically treated waste water will be used later this year, following commissioning of the works.

Screened waste water is presently used at Kirkcaldy and Tayport. Biologically treated waste water will be used when works are complete at the end of this year and 2005 respectively.

Biologically treated waste water is used at Galashiels.

West Of Scotland Water Authority - Screened waste water is presently used Meadowhead and Stevenson. Biologically treated waste water will be used when works are complete in summer next year.

It is important that customers know who best to contact if they have a query about their bill.

For household bills, details of the water and sewerage charges are included on council tax bills issued by local authorities. Until now, following the recommendation of a joint working group of CoSLA, the water authorities and the Scottish Office in 1996, bills have identified local authorities as the main point of contact, to avoid potential confusion and ensure that the customer's billing complaint or query is dealt with promptly.

Non-household bills are issued directly by the authorities themselves, whom a customer should always contact first with a complaint or query.

I am happy to review this approach and to seek agreement on appropriate formats with the water authorities, local authorities and the Water Industry Commissioner for bills in 2001-02.

It is necessary for the operator of any wastewater treatment facility to comply with Health and Safety legislation as appropriate, and the current Services Contract for the Seafield site makes specific provision for this.

However, the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is reserved to the UK Parliament. Matters regarding work undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Act should therefore be addressed in that Parliament or directly to the Director General of HSE.

The proposed repeal of sections 24 and 26 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 means that the sheriff court must consider whether to grant bail in all cases brought before it, in accordance with well established principles of common law. Amongst other factors, these include considerations of public safety, the likelihood of re-offending, the likelihood of intimidation of victims and witnesses and, where bail is granted, whether to make this subject to conditions intended to safeguard the course of justice.

The Executive will shortly be publishing an action plan on protecting vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses in response to the consultation on the proposals contained in the paper Towards a Just Conclusion.

Each health board is responsible for developing and implementing, in conjunction with other interested bodies, a policy for dealing with headlice infestation. The policies are aimed at ensuring that schools, General Medical Practitioners, Community Pharmacists and the general public have a good understanding of their roles in tackling the problem of headlice.

The Scottish Executive also intends to work with health boards to develop a national leaflet to provide advice to schools and parents on the treatment of headlice.

In line with the practice of previous administrations, I propose to issue a public consultation document on fees in the Supreme and Sheriff Courts. Amongst other matters, I will seek views on the case for exemptions from fees for individuals on state benefits. Following the consultation, I would expect to bring proposals before the Parliament for approval later in the year.

Provisions for the collection and disposal of waste by local authorities are set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Local authorities have a duty under the Act to dispose of waste which they collect. Local authorities receive a single allocation for all their non-housing capital expenditure needs and this includes waste management expenditure.

The Scottish Executive is considering the future resource needs for local authority services, including waste management, as part of the current spending review.