Part 5 SSocial care and social work: scrutiny and improvement

Chapter 5SMiscellaneous

Valid from 01/10/2010

98InquiriesS

(1)The Scottish Ministers may cause an inquiry to be held into any matter connected with—

(a)the exercise by SCSWIS of its functions, or

(b)the provision of a social service.

(2)SCSWIS may cause an inquiry to be held into any matter connected with—

(a)the exercise of its functions, or

(b)the provision of a social service.

(3)Before the commencement of—

(a)an inquiry under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers, or

(b)an inquiry under subsection (2), SCSWIS,

may direct that it be held in private; but where no such direction has been given the person holding the inquiry may if that person thinks fit hold it, or any part of it, in private.

(4)Subsections (2) to (8) of section 210 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) (provisions relating to local inquires) apply in relation to an inquiry under subsection (1) as they apply in relation to a local inquiry under that section.

(5)Subsections (2) to (6) of that section apply in relation to an inquiry under subsection (2) as they apply in relation to such a local inquiry; except that, for the purposes of an inquiry under subsection (2) any reference in those subsections which, by virtue of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46), falls to be construed as a reference to—

(a)the Scottish Ministers, is to be construed as a reference to SCSWIS, and

(b)a member of the staff of the Scottish Ministers, is to be construed as a reference to a member of staff of SCSWIS.

(6)The expenses incurred by SCSWIS in relation to an inquiry under subsection (2) (including such reasonable sum as SCSWIS may determine for the services of any of its staff engaged in the inquiry) must, unless SCSWIS is of the opinion that those expenses should be defrayed in whole or in part by it, be paid by such party to the inquiry as it may direct; and SCSWIS may certify the amount of the expenses so incurred.

(7)Any sum certified under subsection (6) and to be defrayed in accordance with a direction under that subsection is a debt due by the party directed and recoverable accordingly.

(8)In relation to an inquiry under subsection (2), SCSWIS may make an award as to the expenses of the parties and as to the parties by whom such expenses are to be paid.

Valid from 01/10/2010

102Transfer of staff etc.S

(1)With effect from the date on which section 44 comes into force—

(a)any person employed by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care immediately before that date is, subject to section 109, transferred into the employment of SCSWIS,

(b)all property (including rights) and liabilities of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care subsisting immediately before that date are, subject to section 109, transferred to, and vest in, SCSWIS,

(c)subject to subsection (2), any person who is a member of staff of the Scottish Ministers employed in the Executive Agency of the Scottish Ministers known as the Social Work Inspection Agency immediately before that date is transferred into the employment of SCSWIS,

(d)any person to whom section 103 applies immediately before that date is transferred into the employment of SCSWIS.

(2)Subsection (1)(c) does not apply to staff on secondment or loan to the Executive Agency of the Scottish Ministers known as the Social Work Inspection Agency from another part of the Scottish Administration.

(3)The contract of employment of a person transferred by virtue of subsection (1)(a), (c) or (d)—

(a)is not terminated by the transfer, and

(b)has effect from the date of transfer as if originally made between the person and SCSWIS.

(4)Without prejudice to subsection (3), where a person is transferred by virtue of subsection (1)(a), (c) or (d)—

(a)all the rights, powers, duties and liabilities of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers, under or in connection with the person's contract of employment are transferred to SCSWIS on the date of transfer, and

(b)anything done before that date by or in relation to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers, in respect of the person or the contract is to be treated from that date as having been done by or in relation to SCSWIS.

(5)Subsections (1) to (4) do not affect any right of any person so transferred to terminate the person's contract of employment if the terms and conditions of employment are changed substantially to the detriment of the person; but any such change is not to be taken to have occurred by reason only that the identity of the person's employer changes by virtue of those subsections.

103Transfer of staff: further provisionS

(1)This section applies to such persons who are members of staff of the Scottish Ministers employed in the Executive Agency of the Scottish Ministers known as Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland as the Scottish Ministers may by order specify.

(2)Such an order may specify any description of such employees or any individual such employee.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1), an order may not be made in relation to staff on secondment or loan to the Executive Agency of the Scottish Ministers known as Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland from another part of the Scottish Administration.

(4)The power to make an order under subsection (1)—

(a)must be exercised by statutory instrument,

(b)may be exercised so as to make different provision for different purposes.

(5)A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (1) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the Parliament.

Valid from 01/10/2010

105Interpretation of Part 5S

(1)In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • act as a child minder” has the meaning given by paragraph 12(1) of schedule 12;

  • adoption service” has the meaning given by paragraph 8 of that schedule;

  • adult placement service” has the meaning given by paragraph 11 of that schedule;

  • care home service” has the meaning given by paragraph 2 of that schedule;

  • care service” has the meaning given by section 47(1);

  • “child”—

    (a)

    in relation to an adoption service, means a person who is under the age of 18,

    (b)

    in relation to a fostering service, means a person who is under the age of 18, and

    (c)

    for the purposes of paragraph 6 of schedule 12, has the meaning given in section 93(2)(b) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36),

    but otherwise means a person under the age of 16;

  • child care agency” has the meaning given by paragraph 5 of schedule 12;

  • child minding” has the meaning given by paragraph 12 of that schedule;

  • condition notice” has the meaning given by section 66;

  • day care of children” has the meaning given by paragraph 13 of schedule 12;

  • domestic premises” means any premises which are wholly or mainly used as a private dwelling;

  • fostering service” has the meaning given by paragraph 9 of schedule 12;

  • health body” means a Health Board or Special Health Board constituted by order under section 2 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 (c. 29);

  • health records” means records relating to the physical or mental health of an individual (including dental records and medical records);

  • hospital” has the meaning given by section 108(1) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978;

  • housing support service” has the meaning given by paragraph 19 of schedule 12;

  • improvement notice” has the meaning given by section 62;

  • limited registration service” has the meaning given by section 61(5);

  • local authority” means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39);

  • local authority condition notice” has the meaning given by section 85;

  • medical records” means records relating to the physical or mental health of an individual which have been prepared by a registered medical practitioner who is, or has been, responsible for the clinical care of the individual;

  • mental disorder” has the same meaning as in section 328 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 13);

  • notice” means notice in writing;

  • nurse agency” has the meaning given by paragraph 4 of schedule 12;

  • offender accommodation service” has the meaning given by paragraph 7 of that schedule;

  • personal care” has the meaning given by paragraph 20 of that schedule;

  • personal support” has the meaning given by that paragraph;

  • premises” includes any vehicle;

  • prescribed” means prescribed by order made by the Scottish Ministers;

  • provide”, in relation to a care service, means to carry on or manage such a service; and includes, in the case of a care service which is provided by a body corporate, a reference to a director, manager, secretary to other similar officer of the body;

  • regulations” means regulations made by the Scottish Ministers;

  • relative”, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of the full blood or half blood or by affinity) or step-parent;

  • school care accommodation service” has the meaning given by paragraph 3 of schedule 12;

  • secure accommodation service” has the meaning given by paragraph 6 of that schedule;

  • “social services” and “social service” have the meanings given by section 46;

  • social work services” has the meaning given by section 48;

  • “someone who cares for” (or “a person who cares for”) a person has the meaning given by paragraph 20 of schedule 12;

  • SCSWIS” means Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (which is constituted under section 44);

  • “support service” (except in the expression “housing support service”) has the meaning given by paragraph 1 of schedule 12;

  • voluntary organisation” means a body, other than a public or local authority, the activities of which are not carried on for profit; and

  • vulnerability or need”, in relation to a person, has the meaning given by paragraph 20 of schedule 12.

(2)In this Part, a person who uses, or is eligible to use, a social service includes any person to whom that service is, or may be, provided.

(3)For the purposes of this Part, information is “confidential information” where—

(a)the identity of an individual is ascertainable—

(i)from that information, or

(ii)from that information and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the person holding that information, and

(b)the information was obtained or generated by a person who, in the circumstances, owed an obligation of confidence to that individual.

107Minor modifications: Scottish Social Services CouncilS

Schedule 15 (which makes minor modifications of Part 3 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (asp 8)) has effect.