内容摘要：Although similar countries also experienced a slowdown since 2011, the UK's has been more severe and our life expectancy is at the "bottom of the pack of comparable countries," she says, adding that nations such as Spain returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2023.

Although similar countries also experienced a slowdown since 2011, the UK's has been more severe and our life expectancy is at the "bottom of the pack of comparable countries," she says, adding that nations such as Spain returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2023.

"This failure from those who are meant to be safeguarding the public purse is simply unacceptable."He told BBC Scotland there needed to be a much more objective relationship between the Scottish government civil service and public bodies like Wics.

The commission's role is to promote the interests of water and sewerage customers and ensure Scottish Water provides cost-effective services to ministerial objectives.The committee's report acknowledged there had been widespread changes to the board and management since the auditor general's findings were published.However, it urged the current board to undergo refresher training on their roles and responsibilities to ensure that the failure of responsibilities does not happen again.

Leonard said: "We have heard about significant changes within Wics and the organisation's commitment to improve the governance arrangements. These are clearly welcome."But we want to see concrete evidence of these changes to ensure that the unacceptable culture that was in place has truly gone."

Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson, who sits on the committee, said the behaviour of Wics had been "deplorable".

He said: "This organisation had a wild west approach to spending.in the West Bank, the Palestinian territory between Israel and Jordan that was captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and has been occupied ever since.

Between 7 October and August 2024, 589 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank – at least 570 by Israeli forces and at least 11 by settlers,. They include some said to have been planning attacks as well as unarmed civilians. In the same period, Palestinians killed five settlers and nine members of Israel’s security forces.

This week, a Palestinian man aged 40 was reportedly shot dead after settlers and Israeli soldiers entered Wadi al-Rahhel, near Bethlehem. The Israeli military said stones had previously been thrown at an Israeli vehicle nearby.Last month, a 22-year-old Palestinian man was killed when dozens of settlers rampaged through the village of Jit, prompting international condemnation. Israeli security forces have made four arrests and have described the incident as a “severe terror event”.