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Health Protection Scotland are conducting surveillance swab testing in the community for individuals with mild to moderate symptoms. Testing commenced on 27 April and results are available a week later by HPS report for internal planning and surveillance purposes. Details of this can be found at: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/enhanced-
surveillance-of-coronavirus-covid-19/ .

A pilot project for the current community surveillance ran for two weeks (weeks beginning 13 th April and 20 th April) before the surveillance testing was rolled out across Scotland from 27 th April. This pilot ran in NHS Fife only in order to ensure the process was efficient prior to wider use.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30032 on 2 July 2020. Key papers and minutes are available on the Commission’s website at https://www.watercommission.co.uk/view_Publications_Main.aspx .

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Scottish Government was sent a copy of the decision paper prior to publication and noted its contents.

In 2018 the Scottish Government participated in the OECD pilot project to identify best practice for each of the OECD Water Governance Principles, and to develop water governance indicators to assess progress. The results of this project were published in “Implementing the OECD Principles on Water Governance: Indicator Framework and Evolving Practices”. The Pilot project highlighted the Scottish framework as an exemplar of good practice and identified a small number of areas of improvement to further strengthen Scotland’s water governance.

Ministerial Objectives set the strategic priorities for the regulatory period and require Scottish Water to maintain, and where possible improve, levels of service to customers. Scottish Water identifies the level of expenditure and investment required to achieve those objectives. The Commission determines maximum charges for the period based on its assessment of Scottish Water’s analysis.

As set out in the Scottish Budget for 2020-21, the Scottish Government has made provision to lend £215 million in this financial year.

The investment expectations are set out in the Decision Papers “Asset Replacement” and “Prospects for Prices”, available on the Water Industry Commission for Scotland’s website. As noted in the answer to S5W-30017 on 2 July 2020, Scottish Water had estimated investment of £730 million in 2020-21.

The Commission estimates that £1 billion - £1.1 billion annual investment will be required by 2040. The actual investment level at 2027 will depend on price profile, growth assumption, growth starting point, borrowing available and Scottish Water’s cash balance at the start of the 2021-2022 financial year. It is expected that further clarity on the investment profile will be provided when the Commission publishes its draft determination.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The R number is calculated for Scotland and we publish it on a weekly basis. The R number is not calculated for smaller areas such as Scottish local authorities as the ranges around the estimates would be very large and it would not allow us to understand the differences between different areas of Scotland. We are looking at other means of monitoring and forecasting the levels of COVID-19 infection in local authority areas.

We are building surveillance systems to ensure that, not only at a national level but at a local level, we can monitor and, where possible, predict what happens with the virus in the weeks and months to come.

We have a range of powers under the Coronavirus Act 2020 that would allow us to take appropriate and proportionate actions as might be necessary.

This is a matter for the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, and I have asked them to respond directly in writing to your question.

The Scottish Government is in close and regular contact with the Commission on a wide range of issues and was fully aware of the plan to publish the 2020 decision paper. The economic regulator is independent and as such it is not for the Scottish Government to signal whether it is content or otherwise.