Chamber and committees

Section 41(3) of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 requires that the Crofters Commission must provide, on request, an extract of any entry on the Register of Crofts to any person who, in the opinion of the Crofters Commission, has good reason for desiring an extract of that entry. The register does not contain plans.Chapter 9 of the white paper entitled Crofting Reform Proposals For Legislation seeks views on proposals to allow full public access to the Register of Crofts and to allow the Crofters Commission to charge for the provision of data from the register.

The Register of Crofts is an administrative record and does not include plans. There is currently no public right of access to information contained in the Register of Crofts. By virtue of section 41(3) of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 the Crofters Commission is required to provide, on request, an extract of any entry on the Register of Crofts to any person who, in the opinion of the Crofters Commission has good reason for desiring an extract of that entry. Chapter 9 of the white paper entitled Crofting Reform Proposals for Legislation seeks views on a proposal to allow full public access to the Register of Crofts.

The Crofters Commission does not keep and is not required to keep plans and other legal documentation regarding croft registration. Section 41 of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 specifies the information to be entered in the Register of Crofts. This consists of:The name, location rent and extent of every croft;The name of the tenant and the landlord of each croft, andAny consent given by a landlord of a croft under section 50(1)(b) of the 1993 Act. There are no current plans to change these requirements but chapter 9 of the white paper entitled Crofting Reform Proposals For Legislation seeks views on the possibility of requiring that a plan of a croft should be supplied, to be held on the register, when a croft changes hands.

This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:Each of the three authorities had their own charges scheme and charged differently for water services. In the former west and north areas the surface water drainage charge covered drainage from both roads and private property, whereas in the east the surface water drainage charge only covered property drainage. Road drainage costs were included as part of the volumetric sewage charge. In the former east area, if a customer's property does not drain to the public sewer then the surface water drainage charge is cancelled but the customer still pays road drainage charges as part of the volumetric sewage charge. In the former north and west areas, the surface water drainage charge is reduced for properties not draining to the sewer and only the cost of road drainage is charged.Scottish Water is continuously reviewing its charges and will be evaluating how customers are charged for surface water drainage as it develops a harmonised charging structure across Scotland.

In the answer given to question S1O-5499 on 5 September 2002, I indicated that agreement had been reached for the National Free Concessionary Travel Scheme for Blind People to continue in its current form indefinitely. No review of the scheme is planned.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28378. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

No such statistics are collected by the Scottish Executive. The administration of the 16 local concessionary travel schemes which comprise the National Blind Scheme is a matter for the relevant local authorities.

This is a matter for local authorities who are responsible for making concessionary travel schemes under the Transport Act 1985.

The National Free Concessionary Blind Scheme is an amalgam of the 16 local concessionary travel schemes currently operating in Scotland. It is therefore for the island local authorities to consider whether their particular local schemes should be extended to provide free air travel to the mainland.

This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:Business charges for water and sewerage for the four years from 1999-2000 to the current year are as follows. If the property does not have a meter, charges are based on the property's rateable value. The charge per £ rateable value is:

Water	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Tayside	4.84p	7.29p	8.6p	8.6p
All other areas (2000-01 and beyond)	Varies - see below	9.60p	9.76p	9.76p
Western Isles	9.72p
Grampian	6.4p
Orkney	9p
Highland	9.72p
Shetland	9.72p
Sewerage	6.12p	8.04p	9.61p	9.61p

If the property has a meter, customers pay the following charges:Water Charges:1. Volumetric Water Charge (Charged by Pence Per M³ of Water Used):

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
First 100,000m3	68.3p	91.7p	£1.041	£1.006
Next 150,000m3	68.3p	77.93p	88.49p	71p
Over 250,000m3	68.3p	64.16p	72.87p	60p

2. Fixed Charge for Water (Charges Based on Meter Size):

Meter Size	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Up to 20mm	£57	£62	£74	£120
25 & 30mm	£57	£62	£74	£120
40mm	£68	£74	£88	£760
50 & 65mm	£78	£85	£101	£1,339
75mm	£105	£115	£137	£3,905
100mm	£105	£115	£137	£8,263
150mm	£156	£171	£205	£24,061
200mm	£156	£171	£205	£52,298
250mm	£156	£171	£205	£94,337
300mm	£156	£171	£205	£152,628

Sewerage Charges:

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Volumetric sewage (per m3 of water used)	--	21.72p	30.79p	97p
Surface water drainage (per £ rateable value)	--	7.12p	7.93p	5p*

Note:*If no rainwater from the property drains to the public sewer, the charge is 4p.