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I am due to meet with Earl Howe on 3 July 2013.

The on-going negotiations on the replacement to the current Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme involve the UK Government and Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry.

All members of NHS boards are expected to carry out their responsibilities in line with the board members’ code of conduct. The Scottish Government expects board members to take responsibility for ensuring that the register of interests is accurate, and for board chairs to hold members to the code of conduct. The register of interests is reviewed by the external auditor when annual accounts are submitted.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland is currently updating its register of interests as part of its annual accounts process.

Latest published data available from the General Register Office for Scotland indicate that there has been a slight reduction in the number of deaths by self poisoning in Scotland in recent years. There is no information available centrally on whether there is a correlation between the price and availability of painkillers and the number of deliberate self poisonings.

Medicine safety is currently a reserved matter with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency having responsibility across the UK. Given the particular risks associated with paracetamol, UK wide legislation was amended in 1998 to introduce pack size restrictions to a maximum of 32 tablets through pharmacy sales and 16 for non-pharmacy sales. A recent British Medical Journal article concluded that the introduction of the legislation resulted in a 43% reduction in deaths in England and Wales.

The safety of medicines is currently a reserved matter with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) having responsibility across the UK.

I understand from the MHRA that information on possible side effects which may occur in association with use of painkillers, including where appropriate effects associated with long term use and risk of overdose, are outlined in the information associated with the medicines and provided to healthcare professionals (the Summary of Product Characteristics) and patients (Patient Information Leaflet).

Painkillers that are available as over the counter medicines are subject to restrictions on pack size. There are clear warnings on the outer packaging of these products that the stated dose should not be exceeded and they should not be used to control symptoms for longer than three days without medical advice. There is also clear advice that if the symptoms persist then the individual should consult their doctor.

Medicines containing paracetamol contain a warning about the risk of serious liver damage if the dose is exceeded.

This information is not available at national level.

The principal legislation which applies to the disposal of ashes at crematoria is the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 1935. Specifically, Regulation 17 sets out the legal requirements when disposing of ashes following a cremation.

The Commission’s remit includes considering existing legislation, with particular reference to the Cremation Act 1902 and the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 1935, in order to identify gaps, inconsistencies and weaknesses and to make recommendations on what issues should be addressed in future legislation.

The Government has already committed to updating existing burial and cremation legislation. That work is due to commence next year and will be informed by the Commission’s findings.

It is important we learn lessons quickly to ensure no bereaved parent or relative ever again goes through the additional distress caused by this type of experience.

A full public inquiry would be likely to take several years to complete its work, which would delay indefinitely current plans to update existing burial and cremation legislation and might also possibly delay the implementation of any new guidance.

The Infant Cremation Commission, by contrast, will report its recommendations by the end of this year, ensuring that the lessons learned can inform the development of any new guidance as soon as is possible, as well as influence the upcoming legislation development.

It is not expected that the Commission will need to compel witnesses to give evidence. All key stakeholder organisations involved in the management of crematoria and the handling of cremations are represented on the Commission and have accepted the remit.