Written Question · S2W-05331 · Session 2
What consideration it is giving to the recommendations contained in the report of the Water Customer Consultation Panels, Affordability of …
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the recommendations contained in the report of the Water Customer Consultation Panels, Affordability of Water and Sewerage Charges for Low Income Households, published in December 2003.
The answer
The Executive has consideredthe recommendations contained in the panels’ report on affordability. The Executiveis committed to securing substantial efficiency savings at Scottish Water asthe principal means of easing pressure on water and sewerage charges for allcustomers, including those in low income and vulnerable households. Inaddition, particular assistance to low income households is provided throughthe link between water charges and the council tax banding and discountarrangements. In terms of the specific recommendations in the report:
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.
Incomesupport is a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Local authorities are currently responsible forcollecting charges for domestic customers. This is an efficient and customer friendlyway of charging. It enables customers to pay for two services with one bill; and itavoids them having to meet, through higher water bills, the costs thatotherwise would arise from having to establish and maintain a separate billingsystem for water and sewerage services.
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.
Incomesupport is a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Local authorities are currently responsible forcollecting charges for domestic customers. This is an efficient and customer friendlyway of charging. It enables customers to pay for two services with one bill; and itavoids them having to meet, through higher water bills, the costs thatotherwise would arise from having to establish and maintain a separate billingsystem for water and sewerage services.
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-05331 by reference.