Commentary Part 1.Water Industry Licensing arrangements between England and Wales and Scotland Section 6: Arrangements with the Water Industry Commission for Scotland
55.This section inserts a new section 17FA into the WIA which allows the Secretary of State to make regulations that would allow for an application to the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) for a water services licence or sewerage services licence to be also treated as an application for a water supply licence or sewerage licence respectively in England and Wales. Such licences would only include retail or restricted retail authorisations as there are no provisions in Scottish law that would licence activities similar to those allowed for in the wholesale, supplementary or disposal authorisations applicable in England and Wales.
56.This section also inserts a new section 17FB into the WIA which requires Ofwat to forward applications for water supply or sewerage licences and associated information to WICS, subject to the requirements set out in subsection (2).
57.The intention behind the section is to assist in the development of a market across England and Scotland in relation to water supply and sewerage retail services for non-household customers and in Wales for eligible water supply customers.