Written Question · S2W-23462 · Session 2
What discussions took place with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and Professor Alan Alexander in the days immediately pr…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and Professor Alan Alexander in the days immediately prior to Professor Alexander’s resignation from his post as Chairman of Scottish Water.
The answer
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development and the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alan Alexander on 9 February. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the views of the Executive, supported by Scottish Water’s regulators (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland), that Scottish Water’s delivery plan for 2006-10 fell short of the Executive’s and regulators’ requirements for the plan in a number of material respects and the implications that these views had for Professor Alexander’s position as the Chair of Scottish Water. Professor Alexander responded that he believed the plan to be compliant with the requirements of the Executive and the regulators.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development undertook to consider Professor Alexander’s response, which Professor Alexander amplified in a letter that he sent to the Minister on 10 February 2006.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 16 February 2006 to inform Professor Alexander that the Executive and the regulators, who with the permission of Professor Alexander had been invited to comment on his letter of 10 February, had not changed their views of the delivery plan. Professor Alexander said he remained of the view that the plan was compliant. In light of the disagreement between him and the minister, he said that he intended to resign as Chair of Scottish Water. He requested that the announcement of his resignation should not be made until he had had time to inform his colleagues at Scottish Water of his decision. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development agreed to this request.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 20 February 2006 to receive Professor Alexander’s resignation and to agree the terms in which it should be announced.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development undertook to consider Professor Alexander’s response, which Professor Alexander amplified in a letter that he sent to the Minister on 10 February 2006.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 16 February 2006 to inform Professor Alexander that the Executive and the regulators, who with the permission of Professor Alexander had been invited to comment on his letter of 10 February, had not changed their views of the delivery plan. Professor Alexander said he remained of the view that the plan was compliant. In light of the disagreement between him and the minister, he said that he intended to resign as Chair of Scottish Water. He requested that the announcement of his resignation should not be made until he had had time to inform his colleagues at Scottish Water of his decision. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development agreed to this request.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development met Professor Alexander on 20 February 2006 to receive Professor Alexander’s resignation and to agree the terms in which it should be announced.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-23462 by reference.