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Meetings with officials

All groups include housing association representatives, and all discuss health and social care integration in relation to their interests.

Older People’s Housing Strategy Monitoring and Advisory Group (former Wider Planning for an Ageing Population Working Group)

15 June 2012

29 November 2012

Minutes available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/ROOPH

Housing Support Forum

25 January 2012

24 May 2012

27 November 2012

Minutes available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/housingsupport/Page4

Adaptations Working Group (work now concluded)

30 January 2012

16 March 2012

23 April 2012

12 June 2012

12 September 2012

29 October 2012

Minutes available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/ROOPH/ADWG

Preventative Support Working Group (work now concluded)

8 February 2012

18 April 2012

26 June 2012

Minutes available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/ROOPH/PSWG

Housing Association representatives attended consultation events during summer 2012

28 May

4 July

5 July

19 July

Officials provided input for a housing seminar

6 June 2012

Ministerial Meetings

The Deputy First Minister met with the Chief Executives of Bield, Hanover (Scotland) and Trust Housing Associations on 28 March 2012.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will meet with Chief Executives from Bield, Hanover and Trust Housing Associations on 12 September 2013 to discuss housing’s vital role in supporting the integration of adult health and social care.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

30 May 2013

Index Heading: Health and Social Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what the projected cost is of the commission to examine the policies and practices in place for handling ashes and cremated remains.

(S4W-14859)

Michael Matheson: As the main costs will relate to the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred by Commission members, it is not possible to provide a more definite projected cost at this time.

Our expectation is that the costs incurred will not exceed £100k. These costs will be met by Scottish Government.

The investigation of specific incidents or allegations relating to any particular cremation or crematorium remains the responsibility of the relevant cremation authority or, if applicable, the police or Procurator Fiscal service.

The Commission has now issued a public call for written submissions from any interested parties. The Commission understands that individuals responding to this call for submissions may wish to set out their own personal experiences in order to provide context to their comments.

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.

The Commission has been asked to report to Scottish Government by the end of 2013. Responsibility for implementing its recommendations will depend on the detail of each recommendation.

Recommendations around professional guidance or practice may be for Scottish Government, Cremation Authorities or for professional bodies.

Recommendations about legislation, however, will be for the Scottish Government to take forward in the first instance.

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.

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.

Centrally National Services Division (NSD), a Division of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), manages the funding of cross border specialist healthcare services on behalf of NHS Scotland.

The number of cancer referrals going elsewhere in the UK to access treatment is small and mainly relate to those patients with eye tumours accessing low intensity proton beam radiotherapy at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Trust.

There is also a shared cross-border process in place for all other cancer referrals to access other specialist cancer treatment elsewhere in the UK.

The Scottish Government does not collect information on patients who relocate to England to seek alternative cancer treatment without referral.

The criteria for appointing a chairperson to an NHS board varies depending on the challenges and needs of the recruiting board. The skills of leadership, organisational change, strategy development and improvement alongside ensuring effective Performance are most commonly used as the basis of assessment.

The first contact I had with Mr Houston was during the process of finalising my decision on the appointment of the new Chairperson of NHS Lothian.