Alex - I emailed the ScotGov on this on the fifth of the month and am still waiting for a reply. I will email them again on the 25th if I still haven't received a reply. However, it seems pretty clear that we have lost control of this resource.

Interestingly - my reading so far is that we didn't have a choice - the EU mandated these changes. I suspect that the Scottish Government - cognisant of their enfeebled capacity on issues of international relations, treaties, and obligation - have simply decided to ignore it as they have no power to change it.

Indeed, as it is the stated policy of the SNP to retain membership within the EU it would be self defeating to oppose these changes. And it confirms my views regarding Alex Salmonds economics. His future Scotland, i believe, is one that is closely integrated into the global corporate adventure.

In the international poker game of politics and big business,however, you couldn't actually say Alex has a weak hand - he has no hand at all as he doesn't have a seat at the table. Authority rests with Westminster and Brussels while Holyrood has very little power - we have very little power. My fear is that there will be little left under our control once we get independence, for our freedom of action will have been negotiated or mandated away for years to come - in some cases in perpetuity.

Dear Scunnert

Thank you for your email of 5 March 2008.

This division of the Scottish Government handles the relationship between Scottish Ministers, as owners of Scottish Water on behalf of the people of Scotland, and Scottish Water as providers of mains water and sewerage services in Scotland. Scottish Water has not sold water to any other country and has no plans at present to provide water services outside Scotland.

Yours sincerely



Graeme Hunter
Policy Officer - Communications
Scottish Government
Water Industry Team
1-H Dock Side
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

This response from Graeme Hunter gives me no comfort. He writes:

"Scottish Water has not sold water to any other country and has no plans at present to provide water services outside Scotland."

Fair enough - but what about Satec, Aquavitae and Osprey Water Services?

Do they have any plans in this direction and could the Scottish Government restrict such trade? Consider a case in New Hampshire.

www.afsc.org/newengland/nh/springs-trade.pdf

Since my original email specifically asked about the status of out water vis - a - vis international trading agreements I find it strange that no mention is made of this in Mr Hunter's reply.

I will try again - perhaps if I bug these people enough I will get the reassurance we all want.

Interestingly, the Sunday Herald ran an article "Liquid Assets" the final sentences I copy here:

"... it will not be until everyone from regulator to customer sees the results that we know whether the liberation has been successful. If so, the market is expected to follows the likes of gas and electricity and scrap the fixed tariffs to move to free competition - a move that the Scottish regulator has said will not happen before 2014 at the earliest.

With the next question being the domestic market, and the issue of whether a Scottish government would privatise Scottish Water also in the background, the drips of change on Tuesday could well be followed by a flood.

Don't be surprised if the future is increasingly wet."