Commentary on Sections Part 4 – Inspection Section 93 – Reports
248.Subsection (1) requires an inspector to prepare and publish annual reports. Under subsection (2), the first such report prepared by an inspector is to be published before the end of the inspector’s first year in the role, and must cover that period. By virtue of subsection (3), each subsequent report is to be published no later than 12 months after the preceding report and is to relate to the period between the publication of the previous report and the publication of the latest report.
249.Subsection (4) sets out that reports must provide information about the activities undertaken by the inspector during the relevant period, and may make recommendations with the aim of improving the services under inspection. Inspectors may also make recommendations to improve the keeping or documents, records and registers.
250.Subsection (6) requires such reports to be laid before the Scottish Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after publication.
251.In addition to annual reports set out at subsections (1) to (5), subsection (6) allows an inspector to produce other reports on matters he or she thinks appropriate – for example, a report on a crematorium that has serious failings. Such ad hoc reports must be sent to the Scottish Ministers (under subsection (8)(a)) and may, if the inspector considers it necessary or desirable to do so, be published and/or laid before the Scottish Parliament (under subsection (8)(b)).