Chamber and committees

Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1994 reviewed the extent of lead pipes in domestic plumbing. The estimate then was that there were 589,000 properties in Scotland with lead plumbing. The results of a lead sampling programme about to be undertaken by the water authorities should provide a more up-to-date estimate of the number of households with lead plumbing.

It is not known how many properties have internal plumbing with lead soldered joints but such joints were the normal form of construction until lead solder was banned from water fittings in 1987. The Executive has asked the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to carry out a survey of new houses to determine the extent to which lead soldered joints have been used in new homes.

The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 require random samples to be taken from household dietetic taps within each water supply zone. Where lead is detected in a tap sample, in breach of the current regulatory requirement, the householder is notified and advised of the measures that they can take to reduce the risk to their health from lead.

Despite the tighter lead standard in the new Drinking Water Directive, if non-compliance with the standard is due to domestic plumbing then a failure to meet the standard will not be considered to be a breach of the Directive. Consumers and property ownners must be alerted to the risk but it is not practical to require them to replace their lead plumbing. This is not the case with public buildings such as schools, hospitals and restaurants. Public buildings must fully comply with the Directive. Any failure to meet the lead standard in a public building as a result of lead plumbing will require the plumbing system to be replaced.

The Scottish Executive is fully complying with European Community legislative procedures for public procurement.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

We are systematically reviewing all of our activities to identify issues where there is a risk of ECHR challenge. If we believe it is necessary to amend existing legislation in order to comply with the Convention, then we will bring forward proposals for that purpose at the appropriate time.