Seòmar agus comataidhean

The number of planning applications called-in and referred to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit since 1999 totals 117. A yearly breakdown of the figures is given in the following table:Cases Notified to Inquiry Reporters Unit Since 1999

Year (1 April to 31 March)	Called-In
1999-2000	37
2000-01	35
2001-02	25
2002-date	20

The investment programme presently being implemented by Scottish Water for the period 2002 to 2006 is that identified following the Quality and Standards 2 assessment. That process involved both consultation with industry stakeholders including the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Water Services Unit (Drinking Water Regulation Team) of the Scottish Executive, the Water Industry Commissioner (WIC) and public consultation.Full details are available in Water Quality and Standards 2002-2006 as approved by Scottish ministers. This document was lodged with the Parliament's Reference Centre on publication - (Bib. number 15676).In addition, as owner, the Scottish Executive has on-going discussions with Scottish Water regarding quality and standards, including the maintenance of the public water supply.

The group's report will be published very shortly.

The independent scientific advisory group on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) was set up by the MRC to develop a broad strategy for advancing biomedical and health services research on CFS/ME. In December 2002, it issued a draft research strategy for public consultation, inviting responses by the end of this month. The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) will be offering comments on the document and, once the MRC's work is complete and the future strategic direction of research is clear, SEHD will seek to play a full part in the implementation of that strategy.

The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD), together with other UK Health Departments, collaborates with the Medical Research Council (MRC) through a formal Concordat which aims to develop and maintain an effective partnership for the promotion, funding and management of UK medical research. SEHD takes account of MRC research strategies when making decisions about its own future research funding. This would include considerations about whether to fund studies on specific areas of research only within Scotland or to collaborate with the MRC in UK-wide programmes.At an operational level, the Chief Scientist Office within SEHD is actively engaged in funding research initiatives jointly with the MRC, namely the core-funding of two research units based in Glasgow and the funding of Research Training Fellowships, two of which are currently being supported over a three-year period.

In order to determine the extent of the work required to meet the new standard for lead set in the EC Drinking Water Directive by the target date of December 2003, Scottish Water undertook a survey to determine the extent of the lead problem across Scotland. The results of the lead survey will be used to determine where water treatment measures are required to reduce the tendency for the water to dissolve lead from lead pipes.The survey was not designed to ascertain the number of households with lead plumbing but to identify water supply areas within which there was likely to be a significant number of properties with lead plumbing. By December 2003, around 25% of water supplies, covering about 75% of the population, will be treated to minimise the uptake of lead from lead pipes.

The Executive has no plans to take part in a pilot scheme to ascertain the number of households in the Glasgow City Council area that have lead pipes. The recent Scotland-wide study, undertaken by Scottish Water, has identified areas where there are likely to be a significant number of properties with lead plumbing. This study included the Glasgow City Council area.The results of the study will allow Scottish Water to take action to ensure that the new, tighter standard for lead contained in the EC Drinking Water Directive is complied with by the due date of 25 December 2003.

A survey of lead levels in the water in new Scottish homes, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, was carried out by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and published in November 2000. The outcome of further work by SCIEH, building on that survey, will be published within the next eight weeks. A copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Scottish Water is replacing lead communication pipes as part of the £1.8 billion pound investment programme agreed between Scottish ministers and Scottish Water over the period 2002-06. The communication pipe is the pipe that connects the public water supply to property owners private systems.Lead communication pipes are replaced as part of the water mains renewal programme and this work will continue beyond 2006.

In some areas, lead pipes were used to connect domestic properties to the public water supply up until about 1970. This pipe, known as the service pipe, is made up of the communication pipe and the supply pipe. Scottish Water is responsible for the communication pipe, the section in the street up to the property boundary and property owners are responsible for the supply pipe, the section from the property boundary into the property itself. Any internal lead plumbing is the responsibility of the property owner.As part of its work renewing water mains across Scotland, Scottish Water is replacing any lead communication pipes it comes across. Scottish Water also advises property owners of the risks from their own lead pipes and of steps that they can take to reduce that risk.In addition, if a property owner replaces their lead supply pipe, then Scottish Water is required, upon request, to replace the corresponding lead communication pipe.