Chamber and committees

This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:Scottish Water is currently implementing a programme to develop a better understanding of the impact and scale of leakage on the water network, but based on our assessment in June 2002 it is estimated that the leakage rate is about 80,000 million gallons per annum.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-40 on 3 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I am not aware of any formal provision regarding the length of time that higher education institutions are required to hold student records.

I refer the member to the answers given to questions S2W-428 on 9 June 2003 and S2W-429 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-428 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

There are no general requirements on higher education institutions (HEIs) to maintain student records. However, HEIs are required to hold a variety of records for a variety of purposes. For example, under the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858-1966, the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh are required to enter the names of their graduates in a Register of Members of the General Council, on receipt of a fee, and to publish the list of General Council members.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-428 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

For 2002-03, Scottish Water were set an operating efficiency target within a range that extended from the level of performance achieved by the former water authorities to the target advised in the Water Industry Commissioner's Strategic Review of Charges 2000-2002. On capital efficiency, Scottish Water is required to meet the capital efficiency target set out in the Strategic Review of Charges 2000-2002 over the four-year period to 2006. Scottish Water's performance for 2002-03 can only be determined once audited accounts are available.

Scottish ministers have asked Scottish Water to aim to meet the Water Industry Commissioner's targets as set out in his Strategic Review of Charges 2002 - 2006, without putting at risk environmental compliance or public health. It is for Scottish Water to make an assessment of what its performance will be and how this compares with the targets set.

The Black Grouse Species Action Plan Group was formed to implement the actions given in the Biodiversity Action Plan for this species.A wide range of measures are being applied to protect black grouse.These include the appointment of project officers, concerned with woodland grouse in the Highlands and in Argyll and work on developing alternatives to deer fencing to reduce the likelihood of birds flying into fences.Through the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, stewardship grants are made available in support of Biodiversity Action Plans to improve woodland biodiversity, meeting 60% of the standard costs (90% for special areas), of eligible forest operations such as fence removal.The award of almost £2.5 million from the EU LIFE-Nature fund in July 2002 supports a five-year project, which although focusing on capercaillie, will benefit all woodland grouse.The draft Nature Conservation Bill outlines proposals to protect established lek sites, crucial to the breeding success of the capercaillie and black grouse.