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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-21546

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21148 by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019, whether it will name the senior members of the stakeholder organisations that are represented on the multi-stakeholder group.

The regular members of the group are as follows:

Bob Irvine, Scottish Government
Jon Rathjen, Scottish Government
Douglas Millican, Scottish Water
Simon Parsons, Scottish Water
Tom Harvie-Clark, Scottish Water
Alan Sutherland, Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS)
Ian Tait, WICS
Sue Petch, Drinking Water Quality Regulator
Jennifer Leonard, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Sam Ghibaldan, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)
Gail Walker, CAS
Peter Peacock, Customer Forum

Question reference: S5W-21548

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21153 by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019, which stakeholders it will work with regarding the discounts that apply to water and sewerage charges; what form this work will consist of, and how customers will be able to participate in the process.

The Scottish Government will further develop the Principles of Charging in discussion with Scottish Water, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Customer Forum. In examining existing discounts we shall engage with relevant interests including COSLA and organisations such as Age Concern. Customers will be able to contribute as part of any further consultation.

Question reference: S5W-21547

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21152 by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019, whether it considers Age Concern to be a group with "relevant interests" in relation to the discounts that apply to water and sewerage charges and, if so, whether it will work with the charity regarding any consultations on the proposed plans to remove the single person discount.

Question reference: S5W-21436

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20696 by Jeanne Freeman on 21 January 2019, how often NHS boards are asked to provide evidence that they are complying with their statutory duties regarding the provision of rest facilities; how this is monitored and recorded, and whether it will confirm which boards it is satisfied are (a) complying and (b) not complying with these requirements.

As set out in my answer to question S5W-20696, where staff are on call and require accommodation, it is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure that they comply with any statutory requirements. There is no requirement for them to provide evidence but mechanisms exist for staff to raise any concerns about the provision or quality of rest accommodation, including locally with management or Staff Side representatives.

Question reference: S5W-21161

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate for Scottish Water to charge business customers for the collection and treatment of property drainage water on a rateable value basis where no such service exists.

Question reference: S5W-21159

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its understanding is of the court decisions regarding the case of Scottish Water Business Stream v Chataroo, and how have Scottish Water's practices changed as a result.

Question reference: S5W-21178

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 5 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work has met Councillor Jonathan McColl of West Dunbartonshire Council in the last six weeks to discuss the budget and, if so, when; what was discussed, and what additional funds he has agreed to commit to the local authority.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work has not met Councillor Jonathan McColl, Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council, to discuss the budget in the last six weeks. Negotiations on the annual local government finance settlement are conducted between the Scottish Government and COSLA, on behalf of all 32 local authorities, including West Dunbartonshire Council.

Including the enhanced package of measures announced on 31 January, the 2019-20 local government finance settlement delivers a funding package of £11.2 billion for local authorities, a real terms increase of £298.9 million for essential public services in Scotland. West Dunbartonshire Council will receive £203.7 million to fund local services in 2019-20. Taken together with the potential to increase council tax by 3 per cent in real terms, West Dunbartonshire Council will have an additional £3.7 million revenue funding to support local services next year.

West Dunbartonshire Council will also receive their formula share of £233 million currently undistributed in the provisional figures issued on 17 December.

Question reference: S5W-21149

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20806 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 January 2019, whether it is a full member and participant of the multi-stakeholder group, and what its position is on whether there is any conflict of interest with it sitting on an advisory group providing advice to itself.

The Scottish Government is a member and participant of the multi-stakeholder group. As the member was advised in the answer to
‎ S5W-20806, the group provides a forum to explore topics included within the Water Industry Commission for Scotland’s decision papers ( https://www.watercommission.co.uk/view_Decision_Papers.aspx ). As Scottish Ministers are responsible for determining the principles that should underpin customer charges, it is essential to engage with the water industry.

Question reference: S5W-21162

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that there is a change of use in a property, whether it is the responsibility of Scottish Water to change a water meter that is based on fixed charges by volume.

When a dwelling stops being a dwelling, the local rating assessor will remove the Council Tax banding from the premises record and the local authority will automatically stop charging Council Tax based on unmeasured household water industry charges that would have been included with the Council Tax demand. If the premises is now being used for non-household purposes, the local assessor will create a new rateable value for the premises, triggering Scottish Water to add the premises to the non-household retail market – at which point the occupier of the premises will be charged non-household charges by a service provider licenced to operate in the water industry’s retail market.

If a non-household premises becomes a dwelling, the assessor will give the premises a Council Tax banding and the local authority will automatically start to charge unmeasured household water charges. If the premises is only used as a dwelling, the removal of the premises from the local assessor’s record of non-household premises will prompt Scottish Water to remove the premises from the non-household retail market and non-household charges will end.

In some instances part of a non-household premises may be converted into a dwelling or part of a dwelling may be converted for non-household use. In these instances either separate household and business charges may be applied or, in some situations, a water meter may record the water used in the dwelling and the business, in which case the occupier of the business will be charged for all of the water used by the business and the dwelling. Where the household water use is included in a metered bill, Scottish Water will instruct the local authority to stop applying unmeasured household charges.

Question reference: S5W-21147

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20806 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 January 2019, what the initial terms of reference were of the multi-stakeholder reference group when it was established.