Baby ashes scandal: Families set for payout after crematorium staff threw away remains

For decades parents wrongly told there were not enough remains to return to them

A memorial garden for 149 babies involved in the baby ash scandal in Edinburgh (PA)

The parents of babies whose ashes were thrown away by crematorium staff are set to receive thousands of pounds of compensation.

Campaigners working on behalf of families affected by the scandal in Fife, said the Scottish region's council had agreed to agree to pay up to £4,000 to each affected family.

Staff at crematoriums in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy disposed of the ashes of babies and then falsely told grieving parents there were not enough remains to return to them.

It is thought as many as 450 families were affected by the practice across Scotland.

The scandal first emerged at Edinburgh’s Mortonhall Crematorium in 2012 when it was revealed that staff had not been recovering ashes from very young children for decades, including those born prematurely.

Other cases were subsequently reported in Glasgow and Aberdeen, where it has been alleged that children were cremated alongside adults.

Other councils have already agreed to pay compensation.

Alan Paul, a senior manager at Fife Council, said he apologised unreservedly to the families hit by the practice.

“We recognise the harm and distress that it caused,” he said. “As documented, some infants’ ashes were unrecovered from the chamber and we have changed our practices to avoid this happening again."

He added: "We previously invited families to discuss a specific memorial to their infants and have just this week received some ideas from their representatives, which we will be discussing in due course.”

Catherine McGarrell, a lawyer who represents eight of the families, said it was hugely significant Fife Council had agreed to a compensation scheme.

“It has been a long, emotional journey for the parents but this does provide some small comfort," she said. "The amounts of money involved are of a far lesser importance than the sign of good faith shown by the local authority."

“The council have backed up their public apology with real action which is welcomed by my clients.”

On Saturday, a memorial to families affected by the Mortonhall scandal was unveiled in Edinburgh.

In 2015, the Scottish government changed the law after an inquiry by the Infant Cremation Commission in a bid to ensure the scandal could not be repeated.