Chamber and committees

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

The Scottish Government considers that Age Concern would have an interest in any potential changes to the available household discounts. We will engage with them as part of any further consultations on this matter.

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.

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.

Scottish Water should only charge for property drainage in situations where Scottish Water is providing a service to the premises.

Scottish Water’s position is that (i) the Chataroo case was decided on its own unique set of facts and (ii) now that the provisions of s.20A of the 2005 are in force (as of 4 March 2016), the court would apply a different legal test when considering licensed providers’ rights to charge the end-customer.

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.

Changes to water charges affect nearly all household and business customers in Scotland. The Scottish Government welcomes input from all customers when considering the principles which apply to water charges.

The Scottish Government will work with all relevant interests before making any changes to the discounts which apply to water and sewerage charges.

I refer the member to the answer to S5W-20806 on 16 January 2019. 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 .