Chamber and committees

There are no public water supply mains of lead construction. Historically, lead pipes were only used for internal plumbing or for service pipes connecting properties to the main in the street.

The new Drinking Water Directive tightens the standard for lead in drinking water and requires that member states take all appropriate measures to reduce the concentration of lead in the water as a result of lead plumbing or service pipes. To achieve this goal the water authorities are about to carry out a lead sampling programme to help them identify properties that have lead plumbing and service pipes. The results of the sampling programme will enable the authorities to target areas that would benefit from measures to reduce the uptake of lead from pipework. Many areas already have such measures in place but it is likely that further areas will be identified. The results of the sampling programme will also provide a good estimate of the percentage and number of households with lead plumbing.

In the last three years the Scottish Executive dealt with four planning applications in the east end of Glasgow none of which was refused. I cannot answer for those applications considered by Glasgow City Council.In the same period, three companies had applications for Regional Selective Assistance turned down. The case details are commercially confidential.

The information available is shown below. The first table shows the average daily flow of Heavy Goods Vehicles over a seven-day week in September of each year.

Location (1)	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Bridge of Don	Na (2)	1102	na	1445	1415	1477	1509	1448
Cruden Bay	615	684	727	669	na	778	940	773
Inverugie	400	319	321	324	358	390	422	353

Notes:1. Automated traffic counters have been located here since 1992 or 1993.2. n/a - figure not available.Consistent expenditure information is only available for the last three completed financial years and is shown in the table.

1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
£1.957 million	£2.015 million	£2.577 million

Notes: Figures include major improvement scheme preparation, capital expenditure on bridge maintenance, accident investigation and prevention and minor improvements and revenue expenditure on routine cyclical and winter maintenance.In addition, since 1974 major improvement schemes at Fountainbleau, Auchenten, Hatton, Murcar-Balmedie and Ellon and numerous minor improvement schemes have been implemented.

Midlothian Council were awarded £802,000 additional capital consent from the second round of the Scottish Executive's Public Transport Fund towards the cost of a bridge to take cyclists and pedestrians across the Edinburgh City Bypass at Sheriffhall. The allocation of this additional capital consent, of which £600,000 has been issued to the council, relates to financial year 2000-01.

The original solum of the Waverley Line, proposed by consultants as the most appropriate location for its reinstatement to link with the existing track at Millerhill, meets the City Bypass approximately 500 metres from the preferred location for the pedestrian crossing. Each project presents very different technical challenges. It will be open to the relevant councils to consider whether project development requirements for the reinstatement of the Borders Railway meet the criteria set out in the Public Transport Fund.

There is no lead contamination in the public water supply. Lead contamination occurs as a result of the use of lead for internal plumbing or for service pipes which connect properties to the water main in the street. The water authorities own the short length of service pipe from the main to the property boundary but property owners are responsible for the remainder of the service pipe and for all internal plumbing. The Executive has asked the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to carry out a survey to establish the extent to which lead has been used, in contravention of the water bylaws, in the plumbing systems of new houses.

The cost of fuel for vehicles for the ambulance service for each year since 1997 is detailed below.

Year	Cost (£million)
1997-98	£2.77
1998-99	£2.85
1999-2000	£3.21

The Scottish Executive intends to organise an awareness seminar or seminars, similar to those being run by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on school travel as a follow up to the guidance I launched in December on How to Run Safer Routes to School.

This is a commercial venture and its success will be dependent upon demand for the service. Before NETCo can proceed it will have to secure the appropriate parliamentary powers and permissions.

Scottish Executive officials met with representatives of NETCo on 10 April to discuss this project. NETCo has emphasised that the project's initial phase would not require public funding.

Relations with EU institutions are a reserved matter, responsibility for which lies with the UK Government. Representations to the EU institutions on issues such as GMOs are made on the basis of a common UK line which is developed with the full involvement of the devolved administrations.

Information on vehicle fuel and transport costs incurred by Health Boards and NHS Trusts is not collected centrally.