Section 55 – Inspections at request of Scottish Ministers
97.Subsections (1) and (2) enable Scottish Ministers to request SCSWIS to carry out an inspection of any social service or the organisation or coordination of any social services, to specify the purpose of any such inspection and to approve the timetable for such work. This would, for example, allow Scottish Ministers to ask SCSWIS to carry out an inspection of social services for people with learning disabilities, including any services which the local authority has contracted with another person to provide. Subsection (3) provides that an inspection is to be conducted in accordance with a timetable approved by the Scottish Ministers. Subsections (4) and (5) enable Scottish Ministers to request an inspection of some or all social services in an area or across areas of Scotland and of services provided to a particular individual or group of individuals.