Tag Archives: scottish water

Scottish Lib Dems object to huge Scottish Water bonuses

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 26th August 2026 - 8:30 pm

We’re used to hearing about bosses of English Water companies getting rewarded for failure, but north of the border, things are just as bad, if not worse. It’s particularly egregious to see publicly owned Scottish Water pay out £250,000 in bonuses to senior management when the company’s record is far from unblemished.

Scottish Lib Dem Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Emvironment spokesperson Sanne Dijkstra-Downie have written to John Swinney to ask him how such bonuses could be justified. They said:

Dear John,

We are writing to you following the publication of Scottish Water’s annual report, which included the executive members’ renumeration for 2026.

The report shows that executive members have received more than £250,000 in bonuses over the past year. It comes at a time when billions of litres of sewage are being discharged into Scotland’s rivers, lochs and beaches every year. New research has also suggested that almost all raw sewage spills in Scotland could be illegal.

Meanwhile, ongoing pollution incidents at Portobello Beach, a designated bathing water, have led to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) advising the public against entering the water. Indeed, analysis has found that Portobello Beach recorded E.coli levels ten times above the safe limit. Wardie Bay, a popular wild swimming spot in the north of the city, has also experienced problems with water pollution, with a sewage pollution alert issued this month.

The continued water-quality issues at Kinghorn Beach means that the site faces being stripped of its designated bathing water status if it receives a fifth successive “poor” SEPA rating. The watchdog said that the water could be a risk to human and animal health.

As you will be aware, the bonuses paid to Scottish Water are only to be payable if the organisation meets its performance targets, which includes measures like customer satisfaction and a reduction in incidents. It is extremely difficult, therefore, to understand why such high bonuses continue to be paid when sewage discharges are consistently high and popular beaches are being forced to close.

Indeed, these bonuses will simply seem unjustifiable, especially for the many people who have been directly impacted by sewage problems and pollution at some of the country’s most beloved bathing spots. It is not at all clear how Scottish Water, a public body, is being properly held to account when these bonuses persist despite consistently disappointing performance.

Will you, therefore, explain why such high bonuses continue to be paid out and what, if any, consideration is given to significant factors like sewage dumps and beach closures in the decision to pay them?

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Cole-Hamilton

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and MSP for Edinburgh North Western

Sanne Dijkstra-Downie

Scottish Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh Northern

I suspect we may have seen the subject of Alex’s first First Minister’s Question of the new session next week.

Christine Jardine MP used a recent Scotsman column to criticise the bonuses too:

Posted in News | Also tagged alex cole-hamiton, sanne dijkstra-downie and Scotland | 2 Comments

30 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 30th May 2025 - 10:30 pm

More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas
UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards
Cole-Hamilton: Scottish Water plan must ensure no more disappointments

More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas

55 constituencies in England could see 90% of those claiming the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment for daily living activities lose at least some of the benefit following the Government’s cuts, a Written Parliamentary Question by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

Under the Government’s plans, from November 2026 people on PIP will be required to score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to receive support with everyday tasks such as washing and cooking. Those scoring less will lose access to the “daily living” component, which for some will result in a full withdrawal of the benefit.

In England and Wales, every constituency currently sees at least 80% of those receiving the standard rate of PIP at risk of losing support. A staggering 55 constituencies have at least 90% of claimants that fall into this category.

The constituencies with the highest number of those at risk of having support slashed are in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney and Tipton and Wednesbury, both with 92% of standard-rate of PIP claimants not scoring four points on all categories of the Government’s test. The worst affected region was Wales where 90% of those on standard-rate PIP did not score four points.

The Liberal Democrats said that it “lays bare the scale of the damage” the cuts could do, adding to people’s worry and “increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest”. The party called on the Government to recognise the cuts’ “devastating impact” and “change course”.

Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling MP said:

This lays bare the scale of the damage that the Government’s cuts could do to some of society’s most vulnerable.

Vast swathes of people could be missing out on vital support, not only adding to their suffering but increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest.

This is support that helps people with daily tasks that many of us would take for granted, such as staying clean or staying safe and also helps many people stay in work.

The Government must recognise the devastating impact that these cuts could have and change course.

UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards

Responding to reports that the UK Government is set to sign a new trade agreement with the Gulf States, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: