Question reference: S5W-21888
- Asked by: Maurice Corry, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 28 February 2019
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Current status: Answered by Ash Denham on 13 March 2019
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that local authorities adopt a water safety policy to help prevent accidents, including drowning.
Answer
The Scottish Government takes the issue of water safety very seriously and is supportive of the work of Water Safety Scotland and their National Drowning Prevention Strategy which was published in January 2018.
While it is for individual local authorities to agree and adopt their own policy on water safety, I am aware that Water Safety Scotland is working proactively to build links with both national and local partners to promote water safety and drowning prevention.
In October last year I wrote to all Community Safety Partnerships to encourage them to engage with Water Safety Scotland, so that we can all work together to promote safe enjoyment in and around water.
The Scottish Government provides annual grant funding to RoSPA, which includes undertaking work around water safety, and in October last year they published refreshed guidance on "Safety at Inland Waters". RoSPA are currently working with water safety partners and will be hosting a workshop for local authorities to outline the benefits of having a policy on water safety, and to provide support for these to be developed.