Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2016
That is not something that we looked at particularly, but the member has made a good point. The minister is here and she might wish to consider that further.
The committee also welcomes the provisions in the bill that set out who may make arrangements for burial and cremation following the loss of a child; they might cover the issue of the mother’s death that Stewart Stevenson brought up. However, we are concerned that the approach might not be suitable for women who undergo a medical termination after 24 weeks when the laws of confidentiality might preclude relatives from being contacted or when the woman has no family or her family is unwilling to make arrangements. I welcome the minister’s confirmation that the Government is considering amendments to address that, but I would welcome more information on the terms of those amendments.
In summary, we welcome the policy intention of the bill and agree to its general principles. However, the bill must be strengthened to ensure that previous poor practices never arise again.
16:13