It will be a short statement, convener.
Thank you for the opportunity to say a few words about the draft order, which amends the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 to add integration joint boards, which have been established under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, to schedule 2 to the 2002 act. That will have the effect of including integration joint boards as listed authorities for the purposes of the 2002 act, which means that any complaints raised against integration joint boards can be dealt with by the ombudsman.
In addition, the complaints procedures used by IJBs must comply with the principles set out by the ombudsman. That will help to ensure that as we approach 1 April 2016, by which time all integration joint boards will have taken on their responsibilities, we will have robust complaints-handling procedures in place for all of those boards.
The right to seek redress from an external and independent ombudsman is, we believe, an important right for the public and by proposing this amendment to the 2002 act to include integration joint boards, we are seeking to make that possible in relation to the planning of integrated services. Committee members will wish to note that the order does not take forward any new policy, as it is needed simply as a result of wider legislative changes with regard to the integration of health and social care.
I am happy to take questions from committee members.