Chamber and committees

There are no plans at presentto reform the publicity and consultation procedures specifically in relation toplanning applications for agricultural buildings.

However, our White Paper - Modernisingthe Planning System, published in June 2005, contains a package of reforms thatwill offer greater opportunity for local people to have stronger participation inthe planning process at earlier stages.

The white paper is availablein the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 36995) and on the internetat http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/06/27113519/35231.

The provisions covering publicity(neighbour notification and advertising) and consultation apply to planning applicationsgenerally. The publicity and consultation required in a particular case will dependon the circumstances of the case, e.g. whether the proposal is a departure fromthe development plan.

It is open to anyone to commenton a planning application and it is for the planning authority, in the first instance,to weigh up any competing considerations and reach a decision on the application.

The Executive does not hold this information.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18704 on 26 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa/search.

This is a matter for Scottish Environment Protection Agency, in the first instance. It monitors developments in scientific understanding of the effects of chloramines and other substances on the water environment. It has carried out an assessment of the risks to the environment arising from the use of chloramination in the disinfection of public water supplies. Current practice in Scotland reflects the results of this assessment

No separate budget was allocated for Airwave at the G8 summit. The core cost of the service (which for Scottish forces is paid by the Scottish Executive) covered most of the use of the network during G8.

O2 plc provides the Airwave network for the police service in Great Britain and it is for them to ensure the resilience of the system. O2 worked closely with the Scottish police service both in the run up to and during the summit to ensure network monitoring and performance. The network met all the demands placed upon it.

As these are operational matters for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to write to you on this.

Scottish Water has changed the way it disinfects drinking water supplies in the following areas:

Edinburgh and Midlothian, Aberdeen, Inverness, Borders, Perthshire, Highlands, Western Isles, Grampian and Fife.

The change has seen a switch from chlorination to chloramination as the principal method of disinfecting the public drinking water supply in those areas. Scottish Water does not currently intend to utilise chloramination at all of its treatment works and it does not have a programme for switching to chloramination across Scotland. Chloramination is just one of several disinfection methods approved for use on public water supplies. The final choice on the disinfection method to be used at a particular site is dependent on a number of factors, the principal one being the protection of public health.

Scottish Water has not carried out any formal Environmental Impact Assessments prior to changing some disinfection processes from chlorination to chloramination. Chloramination is an industry approved disinfection process that has been utilised in the UK for nearly a century.

Scottish Water has procedures in place to ensure that any large volume discharges of treated drinking water into the environment (chlorinated or chloraminated) are dealt with appropriately to minimise any environmental effects. Such discharges are made in accordance with Section 33 of the Water (Scotland) Act 1980.

The Scottish  Environment Protection Agency’s assessment of the environmental risk from the use of chloramination showed that the risk was comparable to that from chlorine so its consenting and monitoring procedures for discharges have not changed for chloraminated waters.

Ministers set objectives for the water industry after extensive consultation. Based on the objectives specified in the statement that ministers made to Parliament in February this year, Scottish Water submitted an integrated investment programme to the Water Industry Commission (WIC) as part of the Strategic Review of Charges (SRC) process. As required under the system of independent economic regulation set up, the WIC has assessed the lowest, overall, reasonable cost of delivering ministers’ objectives and the draft determination sets out its conclusions. The consultation period ends on the 23 September with an expectation that the final determination will be published at the end of November.

Ministers have not set Scottish Water specific objectives for the reduction of leakage. Instead, they have set objectives based upon the performance of Scottish Water’s assets according to a set of industry standard measures. They have also set further objectives. Taken as a whole, this effect is likely to bring about a reduction in the quantity of treated water lost by leakage.