Parliamentary questions

Des McNulty

1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what agency is responsible for monitoring and enforcing relevant legislation and regulations concerning the composition of bottled drinking water.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Food Standards Agency is the central competent authority responsible for legislation in relation to bottled drinking water. Local authorities in Scotland enforce the regulations, which govern the composition of bottled drinking water on behalf of the agen…

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26586 by Ross Finnie on 24 June 2002, which public body is responsible for determining whether adequate treatment processes and operating protocols have been put in place to minimise the risk of cryptosporidium entering the water supply.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland checks that the requirements of the Cryptosporidium Directions are being met and will enforce compliance if shortcomings are found.

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26585 by Ross Finnie on 24 June 2002, when performance data from the trials conducted at the pilot water treatment plant at Milngavie will be made publicly available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The performance data from the pilot water treatment plant at Milngavie is highly technical in nature and consequently Scottish Water has no plans to publish it. However, the Water Research Centre (WRc) has carried out an expert review of the treatment process…

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22343 by Ross Finnie on 8 February 2002, whether it has any plans to set targets for major energy users such as Scottish Water.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Targets can be set under the negotiated agreements procedure whereby companies get a discount on climate change levy in return for meeting agreed targets. Only companies using processes (irrespective of thresholds) covered by Integrated Pollution Prevention a…

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what controls exist on the regulation of air emissions from industrial complexes involved in brewing beer.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Breweries which have an average finished production capacity greater than 300 tonnes per day are regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (PPC). This includes the control of emissions to air. New breweries and those tha…

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22088 by Ross Finnie on 4 February 2002, whether any further information is available concerning implementation of recommendations by the Scottish Agricultural College in the Loch Katrine catchment.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. The Chief Executive's response is as follows:The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) report advised that 80 per cent of the estimated potential numbers of c…

9 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ascertained the cause of the cryptosporidosis outbreak in Grampian in early 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Outbreak Control Team (OCT) investigating the cause of the outbreak has not yet published its findings. The Scottish Executive has written to the chairman of the OCT, from Grampian NHS board, asking if the final report could be complete by 16 October 2002.

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role water authorities should play in the (a) planning and (b) operation of sustainable urban drainage systems.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The roles and responsibilities of Scottish Water and other statutory bodies in relation to sustainable urban drainage systems are clearly set out in Planning Advice Note 61, and in the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems Design Manual for Scotland and North…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expectations it has in relation to the take-up rate for sustainable urban drainage systems.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Given that sustainable urban drainage systems are common practice in all new developments, the expectation is that the figures quoted in the answer given to question S1W-29075 today, will increase. The SNIFFER project referred to in that reply has estimated t…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for issuing consent for the construction of sustainable urban drainage systems

Answer · Ross Finnie: Each regulatory authority has its own powers, and thus formal approval for a drainage system may be needed from the planning authority (planning permission); the building control authority (building warrant); Scottish Water (drainage construction consent); th…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that Planning Advice Note 61 has been effective in promoting drainage systems which are sustainable and mitigate against flooding.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Planning Advice Note 61, Planning and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems was published in July 2001. It gives advice on the role of the planning system in helping to deliver sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) as advocated in the SUDS Design Manu…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what cryptosporidium levels were monitored between January and August 2002 in treated water from the Milngavie water treatment plant.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water carried out 484 tests for cryptosporidium on the treated water at Milngavie treatment works between January 2002 and August 2002. One hundred and sixty-seven of these test results were positive. The maximum level of Cryptosporidium detected in …

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that the water industry regulatory framework will be operated in the best interests of customers.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Drinking Water Quality Regulator, the Water Industry Commissioner and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency each have a duty to ensure that the regulatory framework is operated in accordance with the requirements of the Parliament.

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24879 by Ross Finnie on 7 May 2002, whether there is any further information concerning drinking water quality in the EH9 postcode, particularly during August 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Postcode EH9 covers two water quality zones, one supplied from Alnwickhill water treatment works and the other from Fairmilehead.The August results for the zone supplied by Alnwickhill show that one sample contained 101.6 microgrammes per litre of trihalom…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26583 by Ross Finnie on 24 June 2002, what evidence from water treatment plants throughout the United Kingdom that use the same technology as that proposed for the new water treatment plant at Milngavie can be provided on their effectiveness for cryp…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The answer given to question S1W-26583 pointed out that the effectiveness of the treatment process proposed for Milngavie, like all treatment processes, was dependent on the monitoring and control regimes put in place, but that Scottish Water planned to opera…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times cryptosporidium was detected in the Glasgow water supply in the past twelve months (a) above 0 oocysts per 100 litres, (b) above 1 oocysts per 100 litres and (c) above 10 oocysts per 100 litres.

Answer · Ross Finnie: During the 12-month period from 1 September 2001 to 31 August 2002, Scottish Water carried out 730 tests for cryptosporidium on treated water samples taken from Milngavie treatment works. A total of 243 of these tests were positive.The Cryptosporidium Dire…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why 6,000 residents in Clydebank were misinformed concerning the public health risk from cryptosporidium contaminated drinking water and when it will be able to provide an explanation of why it took four days before these residents were told to boil water.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Fuller details of the events during the cryptosporidium incident in Glasgow will become available on the publication of both the report by the relevant Incident Control Team, and the report by the Water Industry Commissioner into communication with Scottish W…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water complied with the provisions of section 17(6)(a) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 during the recent outbreak of cryptosporidium in the Glasgow area

Answer · Ross Finnie: Regulation 17 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations does not come into force until 25 December 2003. There is no equivalent provision in the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990.

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether recommendations from the Greater Glasgow NHS Board's report Report of an Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis in the area supplied by Milngavie Treatment Works - Loch Katrine Water have now been adequately implemented by all relevant authorities.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The relevant authorities have considered the recommendations contained in the Outbreak Control Team report, published by Greater Glasgow NHS Board, into the outbreak of cryptosporidiosis that occurred in the Glasgow area in spring 2000 and, where they have ju…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ascertained the cause of the cryptosporidiosis outbreak in the greater Glasgow area in early August 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There was no outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Glasgow in August 2002. The monitoring system detected increased levels of cryptosporidium in the public water supply and precautionary advice was issued to boil the water before use. This precautionary advice may…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for the implementation of the recommendations arising from reports by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator, Water Industry Commissioner, Expert Group on Cryptosporidium in Water Supplies, Incident Control Teams and Ad Hoc Group of Ministers concerning the Glasgow w…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The report of the Ad Hoc Group Of Ministers contains eight recommendations. They will be implemented by a number of bodies, including Scottish Water, NHS boards, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Scottish Executive.Similarly, the various other r…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions are being taken to minimise the risk from cryptosporidium in the public water supply in the greater Glasgow area in the period until a new water treatment plant can be commissioned.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Until a new water treatment plant is commissioned, the public in Glasgow remains at risk from cryptosporidium in the water supply. To minimise this risk, Scottish Water has reduced the number of sheep grazing on the land owned by Scottish Water around Loch Ka…