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The Scottish Government was consulted by Scottish Water and is satisfied that the correct process was followed by the Scottish Water board in setting the remuneration of the Chief Executive. Scottish Water’s Executive salaries are amongst the lowest of any comparable utility in the UK.

This is a matter for Scottish Water. Scottish Water utilises a variety of approaches regarding price increases during the life of a contract framework, agreed at the point of award.

The Scottish Government wants a strong manufacturing sector, one which is innovative, thriving and international looking. We are supporting our manufacturing companies to increase their output, sustainability and efficiency through a range of funding programmes and initiatives.

Our £75 million investment into the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland represents a real investment in our manufacturing sector’s future; helping both our large and small manufactures to unlock productivity gains through developing new products and processes and transforming their skillsets. Twelve Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund projects are also delivering free support to SMEs.

The Scottish Government has commissioned several pieces of research to consider biofuel feedstock production in recent years.

The report Perennial energy crops and their potential in Scotland: evidence review examines the potential for a sustainable expansion of perennial bioenergy crop production on low-grade agricultural land or underutilised land, focusing on short rotation coppice, miscanthus and short rotation forestry.

The study Comparing Scottish bioenergy supply and demand in the context of Net-Zero targets considered how biomass can contribute to negative emissions when deployed as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), including reviewing domestic supply.

Transport Scotland commissioned independent research to understand the role that low carbon or alternative fuels, which include biofuels, can play in supporting transport decarbonisation

Research currently underway is considering the economic opportunities from energy crops in Scotland for rural communities.

Any decision to extend local concessions to the trams rests with the City of Edinburgh Council. The Scottish Government has no role in the ownership and operation of the tram system which is run by Transport for Edinburgh. The Scottish Government currently has no plans to extend the National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons to Edinburgh Trams.

In addition, Edinburgh Trams do not run to West Lothian. Lothian Country is due to take over some of the bus services due to be withdrawn and West Lothian Council are in the process of tendering other routes.

More widely, the Fair Fares Review is progressing to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares. The review is considering both the cost and availability of services and the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry to ensure our public transport system is more accessible, available, and affordable, with the costs of transport more fairly shared across government, business and society.

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland’s active and past Enforcement Notices are published on www.dwqr.scot/regulator-activity/enforcement/ . Monitoring requirements for Scottish Water are set out in The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014. Some additional sampling is specified as a requirement of Enforcement Notices, and Scottish Water is expected to undertake additional operational sampling based on its assessment of risk.

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator’s annual reports summarise data on water quality in public and private supplies across Scotland, as well as covering water quality events and incidents and consumer contacts to Scottish Water. They are available at www.dwqr.scot/information/annual-report/ .

Scottish Water holds information for seven years, in line with HMRC guidance. The following information has been provided for the last seven years across water and waste water. A new framework was put in place in 2021-22.

Scottish Water sets out information on its supply chain and broader expenditure in its Annual Reports, available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Annual-Reports .

Scottish Water publishes its procurement strategy and reports on its website at www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Procurement-and-Supply .

The industrial action and pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the recognised Trade Unions. Correspondence was received from UNISON, GMB and Unite.