Hansard

The Convener SNP

The next item on our agenda is consideration of two affirmative instruments. The purpose of the burial management regulations is to make provision for the ma...

The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health (Jenni Minto) SNP

Thank you, convener. I am delighted to join you today to discuss these regulations. The death of a loved one can be one of the most painful experiences that...

The Convener SNP

Thank you very much, minister, for that opening statement. Committee members have some questions, and we will start with Elena Whitham.

Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) SNP

I bring members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests as a former councillor in East Ayrshire Council. The committee has received the...

Jenni Minto SNP

Thank you. I recognise what you are talking about in your question. I used to manage a museum that was located in a former church surrounded by gravestones a...

Elena Whitham SNP

I will briefly explore the requirement to “make safe” versus “repair”. Some local authorities were questioning what that actually means. Will further guidanc...

Jenni Minto SNP

Absolutely. That reflects my experience with regard to the graveyard that was around the museum that I worked in. It is clear that South Ayrshire Council di...

Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Good morning, minister. You mentioned alkaline hydrolysis. In preparation for today’s meeting, I had one of my team do some research on newer, more ecologica...

Jenni Minto SNP

Emma Harper raises an important question about methods of cremation and burial and the decisions that people are looking to take in that regard. Wicker caske...

Emma Harper SNP

The funeral directors who were consulted as part of the development of the regulations will be well aware of what they are being asked for in relation to peo...

Jenni Minto SNP

Yes. A key part of the work that the Scottish Government has been doing is that it has been working directly with funeral directors to ensure that they have ...

Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I thank the minister for her comments. I want to ask about the burial management plans that are proposed in the regulations. Recently, there has been covera...

Jenni Minto SNP

Paul Sweeney raises some really interesting points. I was completely shocked when I saw the pictures of the gravestones in Glasgow with the stickers on them....

Emma Harper SNP

I have a wee supplementary question about historical graveyards. I have a colleague who has 15 family members in an old graveyard in Moniaive. She learned ab...

Jenni Minto SNP

We are clear in the regulations that, if a local authority is looking at a specific graveyard, it needs to publicise that as best it can, whether that is thr...

The Convener SNP

We move on to agenda item 3, which is the formal debate on the regulations on which we have just taken evidence. I remind the committee that officials may no...

Jenni Minto SNP

Thank you, convener. I will simply move the motions and propose that the committee recommends that the regulations be approved. Motions moved, That the Hea...