Question reference: S6W-18124
- Date lodged: 19 May 2023
-
Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 June 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17405 by Shona Robison on 5 May 2023, whether it plans to change the financing arrangements for Scottish Water, currently through customer charges and Scottish Government borrowing, in order to permit (a) private investment via an equity stake being taken in Scottish Water, or any of the Scottish Water group of companies, or in any specific capital investment they may be undertaking and (b) Scottish Water, or any of the Scottish Water group of companies, to borrow private finance beyond, or to replace, its Scottish Government borrowing, either for specific capital investments or to fund capital investment in general.
Answer
There are no plans to privatise or to change the financing arrangements for Scottish Water. Scottish Water is performing well as a publicly owned corporation; evidence of its performance is clearly demonstrated by the fact that Scottish Water is matching the levels of service provided by the companies in England and Wales whilst ensuring that the average household charge remains lower.