Regulations
Section 77 – Regulations: registers and registration
139.Subsection (1)(a) provides for Scottish Ministers to make regulations about how SCSWIS should maintain registers. Subsection (1)(b) allows regulations to be made about the information that should be provided in an application under Chapter 3 or 4 and what certificates of registration should include, for example the conditions of registration of a care service. Subsection (1)(b)(iii) provides for regulations specifying types of applicants who cannot make certain kinds of applications.
140.Subsections (1)(c) and (d) allow regulations to be made that define the circumstances and conditions, including the payment of a fee, under which SCSWIS should provide access to its registers. Subsection (1)(e) gives Scottish Ministers the power to make regulations conferring additional functions on SCSWIS in relation to registration under the Part.
141.Subsection (2) allows for regulations to be made setting out when fees should not be payable and provides that SCSWIS can give access to the register free of charge.
142.Regulations under this section could, for example, be used to prevent unrestricted access to the names and addresses of service users such as users of children's services, where there might be a consequent risk to children. The regulations could contain a requirement for someone to show they had a legitimate interest before they could be granted access to certain registers.
Section 78 – Regulations: care services
143.This section gives Scottish Ministers the power to make regulations in respect of care services. Such regulations could cover matters such as the way in which care services are conducted and make further provisions in relation to their scrutiny and the protection of users; they could also be user to cover the normal day to day administrative matters required for well run care services such as provision in relation to management, staffing and premises. The regulations may also give SCSWIS additional functions in relation to care services.
144.Subsection (3) provides that regulations made under this section may make it an offence to fail to comply with specific provisions within the regulations, or with a condition of registration. Subsection (4) provides that a person guilty of such an offence would be liable to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000 at present).
145.Subsection (5) requires the Scottish Ministers to consult such persons as they consider appropriate before making regulations under the powers in this section.
