Parliamentary questions
Des McNulty
1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees Scottish Water expects to have in 2006.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1150 by Ross Finnie on 14 August 2003, what reduction in water leakage has been achieved by Scottish Water in Glasgow.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1150 by Ross Finnie on 14 August 2003, what targets Scottish Water has set in respect of its water leakage policy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken with staff and trade unions concerning the establishment of Scottish Water Solutions Ltd.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, to respond. His response is asfollows: </p><p>An initial workshop was heldto discuss and address the concerns of employees and the unions. Roadshows andfurther workshops involving all relevant …
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assets have been transferred from Scottish Water to Scottish Water Solutions Ltd and what the financial arrangements were for the transfer.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is asfollows: </p><p>No assets have beentransferred.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any instances where Scottish Water has not complied with the requirements of European Council directives 71/304/EEC, 77/62/EEC, 92/50/EEC and 93/38/EEC (the Works, Supplies, Services and Utilities directives respectively) in relation to open advertising, conduct of pres…
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3321 on 5 November 2003.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water has complied with the requirements of European Council directives 71/304/EEC, 77/62/EEC, 92/50/EEC and 93/38/EEC (the Works, Supplies, Services and Utilities directives respectively) in relation to open advertising, conduct of prescribed tendering…
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>Yes. Scottish Water hasimplemented a policy to comply with the requirements of European Council directivesas appropriate.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Water staff have transferred, or will transfer, to Scottish Water Solutions Ltd and what their salary levels were, or will be, before and after transfer.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>There has been no TUPEtransfer of staff to Scottish Water Solutions. Staff are seconded from each of the partner organisations. Secondees from Scott…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants were engaged by Scottish Water in 2002-03 and what the total cost was.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water.</p>
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions are being undertaken by Scottish Water to manage domestic and industrial water demand better.
Answer · Ross Finnie: As set out in the WaterIndustry (Scotland) Act 2002, Scottish Water must, in exercising its functions,act in the way best calculated to contribute to sustainable development.Sustainable management of water is also a requirement of the European WaterFramework …
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered inviting the Auditor General for Scotland to examine Scottish Water's PFI and PPP contracts to determine whether they represent best value.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Audit Scotlanddiscusses a wide range of issues with the Executive, and we are aware they areconsidering whether to examine lessons that might be learned from capitalprocurement in the water industry.</p>
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what processes are used by Scottish Water in relation to the disposal of surplus land.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water disposes ofland in accordance with the rules laid out in the Scottish Public FinanceManual which is available at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/spfm/spf-00.asp">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/spfm/spf-00…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether statutory requirements applicable to Scottish Water apply equally to Scottish Water Solutions Ltd.
Answer · Ross Finnie: As the statutory undertakingin terms of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, Scottish Water retains fullresponsibility for the delivery of the Quality and Standards 2 programme. Thecorporate governance arrangements for Scottish Water Solutions Ltd areconsi…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Water will ensure that it will get best value from its relationship with Scottish Water Solutions Ltd.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Processes have been established to ensure Scottish Water (SW) maintains a governance role and ensures Scottish Water Solutions are delivering the p…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what open, transparent and competitive mechanism was undertaken before Scottish Water chose to establish a joint venture with UUGM and Stirling Water, rather than with other companies.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>A comprehensive selectionprocess was implemented, complying with European procurement legislation, whichensured a competitive environment existed for…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its approval was required before Scottish Water established Scottish Water Solutions Ltd.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Yes.</p>
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to the establishment of Scottish Water Solutions Ltd were considered as a means of improving efficiency in the delivery of Scottish Water's investment programme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>An assessment was made of the capability of the existing capital delivery model to achieve the requiredcapital efficiency. It concluded that the sta…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the directors of Scottish Water Solutions Ltd are.
Answer · Ross Finnie: have asked Dr JonHargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>Chairman:</p><p>Geoff Aitkenhead, ScottishWater</p><p>Directors:</p><p>Chris Banks, Scottish Water</p><p>John Bennett, Scottish Water</p><p>Mike Edward…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the revenue received by each local authority is council tax.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on net income bysource for 2003-04 is contained on page 16 of the <i>CIPFA Rating ReviewEstimates of Income and Expenditure 2003-2004</i>, a copy of which is availablein the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29256).</p>
25 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in designing a new council tax banding system that more closely reflects house valuations.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are committed to an independentreview of local government finance. We are discussing the timing, remit and formatof the review with COSLA.</p>
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken by the NHS and hospitals in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area to ensure that any retained organs are given proper burials.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Cremation (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003, which came into operation on 27 June 2003, put beyond doubt the legality of cremating body parts removed at post-mortem examination, whether that was a hospital post-mortem examination or one instructed by …
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) brains and (b) other organs were retained by hospitals in each of the last 12 months.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally on a monthly basis. The table gives data for the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 and includes brains and other organs retained for diagnostic purposes following post-mortem examinations instructed by the…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of organs retained in hospitals was brains in each of the last 10 years and what factors lead to the proportion being what it was.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In fulfilment of one of the recommendations in the first report of the Review Group on Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem, Audit Scotland carried out a validation review, published in March 2002, of the total number of organs held in trusts from 1948 to 2000 …
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations of the Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem have been implemented.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The review group has produced two sets of recommendations. The first were contained in its initial report, published in January 2001. These were intended to ensure that the role of relatives, particularly parents, in the post-mortem examination process is rec…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal provisions prevent or deter hospitals retaining organs without the permission of next of their kin in hospitals.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The current legislation relating to hospital post-mortem examinations is the Human Tissue Act 1961 which provides for the use of parts of bodies of deceased persons for therapeutic purposes and purposes of medical education and research and with respect to th…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the practice of retaining organs from deceased children without the permission of their next of kin has ceased.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There is general awareness across NHSScotland that past practice, under which organs were retained at post-mortem examinations without the knowledge or consent of the family, was unacceptable. Since early 2000, all trusts in Scotland have adapted their proced…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the development of any hospitals, or additional hospital facilities, has been delayed owing to an inadequate provision of water and sewerage services.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for NHS bodies which have day-to-day responsibility with no information of the nature requested being held centrally. However, no delays in the development of new hospitals or related facilities resulting from the inadequate provision of wate…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish Water has had with local authorities and Scottish Enterprise to identify key development sites where the provision of water and sewerage services is a crucial precondition for those projects being taken forward and which sites have been discussed.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Scottish Water is in on-going discussions with all local authorities about key development sites and the need for water and sewerage provisions. A fur…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what planned major infrastructure projects have been delayed because of Scottish Water having been unable to provide an adequate service to the site of the project and when water and sewerage services will be provided on these sites, broken down by structure plan area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:<P>While Scottish Water can provide information about those areas where development constraints exist due to the water and sewerage infrastructure, detail…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Water compares with (a) English and (b) Welsh water companies in respect of operational efficiency.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Water Industry Commissioner considered the operational efficiency of the three former water authorities compared to English and Welsh water and sewerage companies in his Cost and Performance report 2001-02 which may be found at:<P><A HREF="http://www.wate…