Chamber and committees

During the period 2010-15, Scottish Water is directed to create and maintain a register of properties affected by external sewer flooding. Details of the objectives set for Scottish Water are available at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/waterindustryscot/latest-news/swdirections.

Scottish Water will be expected where possible to address issues of external sewer flooding through operational means.

External flooding can be caused by insufficient capacity of the sewers to take the required volumes of sewerage or by operational issues such as blockages. In 2008-09, Scottish Water removed over 6,000 blockages, many of which were caused by customers disposing (illegally) of cooking fat down their sink or by flushing away sanitary waste. In most cases, instances of external flooding due to blockages are resolved through operational measures. For capacity issues, Scottish Water deals with some external sewer flooding as a consequence of investing to address internal flooding problems. In addition, where possible, Scottish Water speaks to local authorities about external sewer flooding when there are issues of surface water entering the sewers, as there can be practicable alternatives which divert this water away from the sewers in a safe manner.

The Ministerial Objectives for Scottish Water for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2014 were originally set following a public consultation by the previous administration in 2005. Minor alterations have been made to those original Objectives to reflect the requirements of new legislation and improved data. Stakeholders were consulted in July 2008 on these amendments.

A formal review of veterinary surveillance in Scotland has not yet begun. Once the review is underway a wide range of interested parties including the farmers and veterinary practices in Orkney and Caithness will have the opportunity of making their views known to the review panel.

There are currently no plans to review the policy on asset management and relocation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28225 on 6 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We have received a number of representations from private and public sector organisations, local authorities and MSP''s regarding potential public sector relocation opportunities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28227 on 10 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28225 on 6 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Where an analysis of the asset management and location requirements for a specific public body indicates the possibility of a relocation, the Scottish Government will engage with appropriate local authorities about the specific circumstances.

Scottish Agricultural College review the work done at Thurso Disease Surveillance Centre on a quarterly basis. There have been significant year to year fluctuations that are related to market prices for cattle and sheep, the weather and the decline in livestock numbers which has been a particular concern in the north of Scotland.

For comparable periods January to September from 2006 to 2009 there has been downward trend in the number of carcases submitted for post mortem examination. The figures for clinical diagnostic submissions are more erratic but numbers and income are up from £28,620 in January to September 2008 to £39,920 for the same period in 2009.