Section 27 – Approval of customer standards code
61.This section, which is based on provisions at sections 66 and 76 of the 1994 Act, specifies the procedure for approval of Scottish Water's customer standards code. The Commissioner must approve the customer standards code as drafted or can agree changes to it with Scottish Water before approving it (subsection (1)), and before approving a code the Commissioner must consult each Customer Panel. Where the Commissioner cannot approve the code without modification, and the Commissioner and Scottish Water cannot reach agreement on modifications to the draft code, it is to be sent to the Scottish Ministers for approval (subsection (2)). Scottish Water can require the Commissioner to send the code to the Scottish Ministers for approval where 3 months after submission it has not been approved by the Commissioner (subsection (3)).
62.Subsection (4) gives the Scottish Ministers power to approve codes sent to them under subsections (2) or (3), after consulting each Customer Panel, either without modification or, after having consulted the Commissioner and Scottish Water, with modification.
63.Subsection (5) requires the Commissioner to send the Scottish Ministers a copy of any code approved by the Commissioner; and subsection (6) requires the Scottish Ministers to send to the Commissioner a copy of any code that they approve.