Water - Why 'Mutualisation' = Privatisation by any other name

by Chris Bartter

The recent 'conversion' of Environment Minister, Ross Finnie to the CBI and Tory policy of so-called 'mutualisation' of Scottish Water is a worrying trend.

Following the appointment of Sir Ian Byatt as Chair of Water Industry Commission Scotland from his previous experience in the privatised industry down south, it now appears that his public interference in political decisions has been adopted by the Minister.

Ross Finnie, and his Liberal Democrat colleagues try to assuage their consciences with continual repeating of the mantra 'Mutualisation isn't Privatisation'.

However, UNISON has always pointed to the truth, and research commissioned by UNISON and other water unions from the Public Research Network (PIRN) at Strathclyde University shows that in the water industry, mutualisation is just privatisation by the back door.

However attractive 'mutualisation' sounds, it requires water and sewerage services to be contracted out to private companies to satisfy the financial institutions.

Privatisation by any other name!

The report also sets out in detail why privatisation would be a costly mistake in Scotland. There are alternatives. A revitalised public sector using models from countries like Ireland and Sweden could keep water in public hands and have the added advantage of costing customers significantly less.

This ties in with international campaigns against water privatisation.

Our first priority is to ensure that Scottish Water remains public. And we will be working at the forthcoming Scottish Liberal Democrat conference to explain the realities of this policy.

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