SAIF welcomes Scottish Government’s announcement on licensing

SAIF has welcomed the recent announcement by the Scottish Government on the introduction of a ‘progressive licensing’ scheme by the end of 2020 for funeral directors in Scotland.

The system, outlined in former Inspector of Funeral Directors Natalie McKail’s report to Ministers, will begin with the registration of businesses and identification of a competent person within each firm.

The report also states that there is no appetite at this stage to license individuals. For the first three years, there will be a period of learning with respect to the development of business licensing, the statutory code of practice and inspections and enforcement.

This will allow the government to develop an “appropriate” inspection and enforcement model, underpinned by “phased regulatory intervention over a defined period” to ensure firms understand what is expected of them.

Scottish SAIF president Paul Stevenson said: “As representatives of independent funeral directors we have consistently made the case that a one-size-fits-all regulatory model could be hugely damaging to respected local funeral firms.

“Today’s sensible announcement suggests that we have been listened to fairly throughout the process and we will continue to support and work closely with the Scottish g overnment to ensure a licensing system that works for bereaved people and the wide range of hardworking funeral directors across Scotland.”