Confidence in crematoriums ‘restored’ after action on baby ashes scandal

● Inspector apologises for two mix-ups, but welcomes 100 per cent recovery rate

Public confidence in crematoriums “appears to have been restored” in the wake of the baby ashes scandal, a new report has revealed.

While some parents were never given any remains after having their dead infants cremated, the Inspector of Crematoria, Robert Swanson, said that for the past four years there had been a “100 per cent recovery rate of ashes”.

However, he said that “unfortunately” there had not been 100 per cent accuracy in the handling of ashes.

His latest report, which covers the period April 2018 to March this year, revealed that on one occasion following two cremations the ashes had been placed in the wrong caskets. This error was only revealed when a grieving relative opened a casket to discover the identity label on the bag of ashes showed these came from another person.

In another case, the dead person’s family believed the ashes of their loved one had been scattered in a garden of remembrance, which they visited to pay their respects.

However, the remains had instead been retained at the crematoriumforninemonths.

In both of these cases, Mr Swanson said working practices at the crematoriums involved had been changed in a bid to prevent any reoccurrence.

But Mr Swanson, who was appointed Inspector of Crematoria in 2015 after a report on infant cremation by Lord Bonomy made 64 recommendations for change, said: “One error in the handling of ashes is one too many.”

Thebonomyreportwaspublished after it emerged at least 250 dead babies who were cremated at Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh had been buried in secret.

Mr Swanson said that report, and a similar investigation by former lord advocate Dame Elish Angiolini, “undoubtedly had a negative effect on public confidence in the funeral industry throughout Scotland, particularly as regards working practices at many of the crematoria”. But he said the issues highlighted in these reports had now “been addressed in a positive way and public confidence appears to have been restored”.

He said: “The fact that all crematoria in Scotland have maintained a 100 per cent recovery rate of ashes over the past four years demonstrates that the changes implemented since the findings of the two reports has been effective.

“However, having recovered ashes there is a need to ensure 100 per cent accuracy in all aspects of their handling. That unfortunately has not been the case.”