What assessment it has made of the impact that delays in registering power of attorney applications have on (a) families, (b) legal practit…

The Scottish Government has acknowledged that, while the current system for Powers of Attorney (PoA) generally functions well, certain elements require improving and updating.As part of the Adults with Incapacity reform programme, the Expert Working Group and the Minister-led Oversight Group are developing proposals to strengthen and streamline the Power of Attorney framework (Part 2 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000), including registration processes.Where there is an urgent medical, financial or welfare need, it is possible to request expedited processing of a power of attorney (PoA) from the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland). The expedited service can register a power of attorney within 5 working days.