Press Release, 1st August

Public consultation on Inquiries into Deaths (Scotland) Bill opens

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has welcomed the launch a public consultation on a members’ Bill which aims to radically overhaul Scotland’s controversial FAI system.

The Inquiries into Deaths (Scotland) Bill which is being put forward by Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson aims to create a system for investigating sudden and accidental deaths which is fit for purpose; allowing for a thorough investigation; and subsequently allowing for lessons to be learned from the death.

Most importantly the Bill aims to put the families of the deceased at the heart of the process which is one of the most common criticisms of the current system for investigating fatal accidents.

Duncan McNeil said:

"I hope this bill and consultation will give those concerned about disasters such as the Flying Phantom tug tragedy a chance to bring out the full truth in a FAI with the view of preventing these disasters in the future”

“As the consultation highlights, there are many families who have had to fight the system – sometimes for many years – just to be granted the right for an FAI to be heard. They have felt excluded, exasperated and angered by a system which is simply not fit for purpose. I hope that through this consultation, we will create the foundations for a new system which will address these serious issues and provide a mechanism which allows families to understand what happened, why it happened and feel reassured that provisions are being made to prevent it happening again to someone else.”