The STUC will hold a conference on the future of the Scottish water industry on Monday 16 October the main purpose of which is to launch research recently commissioned from the Public Research Network (PIRN) at Strathclyde University.
Professors David Miller and Christine Cooper will present the findings of their research into the regulation of Scottish Water, the various factors that are tending towards the privatisation and the policy options ahead.
Commenting in advance of the Conference, Professor Miller said:
“It is clear that the international financial institutions, together with EU directives are exerting pressure on the Scottish Executive to privatise Scottish Water. Some suggest that mutualisation is an alternative to privatisation, but our research shows that in the current context, mutualisation is simply privatisation by the back door. There are alternatives to privatisation which would have the advantage of being more efficient, more sustainable and more democratic. A revitalised public sector utilising models from countries like Ireland and Sweden could keep water in public hands and have the added advantage of costing customers significantly less”.
Professor Cooper added:
“The Scottish Executive has displayed a disappointing lack of imagination on the issue of Scottish Water. They appear to have unquestioningly aped much of the regulatory system in England and introduced it into Scotland. This is in spite of the fact that the privatized English water system is fraught with problems not least of which are water shortages, above inflation dividend increases, lack of transparency and accountability to consumers and increasing bills.
“While the shareholders of privatised English water companies are rewarded with inflation busting dividends, society is left with the myriad of hidden costs of privatisation. The Scottish Executive must think very carefully before it considers selling a significant Scottish natural resource to the highest bidder. Privatisation might bring a short-term cash gain to the Scottish Executive, but the people of Scotland will have lost part of their heritage and will pay highly for that loss for generations to come”.
Other speakers at the conference include Jim and Margaret Cuthbert and Kirstie Shirra, World Development Movement.
It is the STUC’s aspiration that this research, and other contributions at the conference, will help to generate a higher level of debate about the challenges facing Scottish water.
ENDS