Written Question · S2W-05260 · Session 2
Further to the answer to question S2W-4498 by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003, whether it will now comment on the Water Customer Consultati…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4498 by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003, whether it will now comment on the Water Customer Consultation Panel's report Affordability of Water and Sewerage Charges for Low Income Households and specifically on the recommendations that the Executive's current water and sewerage charges reduction scheme, due to expire in April 2004, should be extended in scale, scope and time, that Scottish Water should consider assuming responsibility for collecting water and sewerage charges and that the policy of selective household metering should be pursued with more vigour across the country.
The answer
The Executive is committedto securing substantial efficiency savings at Scottish Water as the principalmeans of easing pressure on water and sewerage charges for all customers,including those in low income and vulnerable households. In addition,particular assistance to low income households is provided through the linkbetween water charges and the council tax banding and discount arrangements.
TheExecutive is assessing the impact that ending the current Water and SewerageCharges Reduction Scheme will have in light of harmonisation of charges. Adecision on whether any further action is required will be made in light ofthis assessment.
In terms of collecting waterand sewerage charges, local authoritiesare currently responsible for collecting charges for domestic customers. Thisis an efficient and customer friendly way of charging. It enables customers to payfor two services with one bill; and it avoids them having to meet, throughhigher water bills, the costs that otherwise would arise from having toestablish and maintain a separate billing system for water and sewerageservices.
Thepractice of local authorities collecting water and sewerage charges is also thebasis of the crucial link between charges and the council tax banding anddiscount arrangements. Giving Scottish Water responsibility to collect chargeswould not only result in increased bills for customers, it would undermine thesearrangements to the detriment of low income and vulnerable households.
The Executive has no plansof directing Scottish Water to pursue a policy of household metering.
TheExecutive is assessing the impact that ending the current Water and SewerageCharges Reduction Scheme will have in light of harmonisation of charges. Adecision on whether any further action is required will be made in light ofthis assessment.
In terms of collecting waterand sewerage charges, local authoritiesare currently responsible for collecting charges for domestic customers. Thisis an efficient and customer friendly way of charging. It enables customers to payfor two services with one bill; and it avoids them having to meet, throughhigher water bills, the costs that otherwise would arise from having toestablish and maintain a separate billing system for water and sewerageservices.
Thepractice of local authorities collecting water and sewerage charges is also thebasis of the crucial link between charges and the council tax banding anddiscount arrangements. Giving Scottish Water responsibility to collect chargeswould not only result in increased bills for customers, it would undermine thesearrangements to the detriment of low income and vulnerable households.
The Executive has no plansof directing Scottish Water to pursue a policy of household metering.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-05260 by reference.