News
4 August 2016
Appointments to the Water Industry Commission for
Scotland
The Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform,
Roseanna Cunningham MSP today appointed Jo Armstrong and
Donald MacRae OBE to the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.
Jo Armstrong is an independent business economist with an extensive professional
career spanning Scotland’s oil and gas sector, financial services (in both London and
Edinburgh) and the Scottish civil service. She is a non-Executive Director of both the
Wheatley Group and Social Investment Scotland.
Ms Armstrong is also the Economist in OFGEM’s Expert Panel for its low Carbon
Innovation Fund and was previously Budget Advisor to the Scottish Parliament’s
Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee and local Government Committee. She
is an Honorary Professor of Public Policy at the Adam Smith Business School at
Glasgow University and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors as well as the Royal
Society of Arts. She holds two degrees in economics from the University of
Strathclyde.
Donald MacRae is the former Chief of Economist Lloyds Banking Group Scotland. A
native of the Black Isle, he is a former board member of Scottish Homes and
Scottish Enterprise and a past director of Lloyds TSB Scotland plc and TSB Bank
plc. Mr MacRae is a current board member of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and
Interface and a Trustee of the David Hume Institute. He was a member of the
Housing Improvement Taskforce, the Committee of Inquiry on crofting and an
advisor to the Land Reform Review Group.
Mr MacRae’s main skills are in economic analysis, strategy development, financial
and risk management and corporate governance. He is a fellow of the Royal Society
of Edinburgh, an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh University and was awarded an
OBE in 2012.
Appointment
The appointments are for four years and run from 1 July 2016 until 30 June 2010.
The appointments are part-time and attract remuneration of £272 per day for a time
commitment of on average one day per week.
The appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public
Life in Scotland.
Ministerial Appointments
Mr MacRae is a Member of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise for which
he receives £419 per day for a time commitment of up to 15 hours per month.
Ms Armstrong does not hold any other Ministerial appointments.
Political Activity
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the
selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan
recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the
last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Ms Armstrong and Mr MacRae have not undertaken any political activity in the last
five years.
Water Industry Commission for Scotland
The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) is a non-departmental public
body with statutory responsibilities. Its mission is to manage an effective regulatory
framework which encourages the Scottish water industry to provide a high-quality
service and value for money to customers. It acts independently of Ministers.
WICS sets caps on charges for water and sewerage services that are designed to
deliver Ministers’ objectives for the water industry at the lowest reasonable overall
cost. The charge setting process takes place every six years. In November 2014,
WICS published its Final Determination setting charge caps for the regulatory control
period 2015-21.
WICS is responsible for facilitating and regulation competition in the Scottish water
industry. In April 2008 the Scottish water and sewerage market for all nonhousehold customers was opened to competition.
WICS collects regulatory information and publishes reports on the performance of
Scottish Water in a range of key areas, the state of competition and other matters.
WICS is an active participant in the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation programme
and is engaged with water regulators through Europe in order to disseminate and
learn best practice in regulation of the sector.