BIC Ministers adopt “Spend to Save” Report at Edinburgh Meeting
The British-Irish Council (BIC) Social Inclusion work sector held its sixth Ministerial meeting hosted by Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, at St. Andrew’s House, Edinburgh today.
Ministers adopted an important Report entitled Spend to Save – Innovative Approaches to Preventative Spend and commissioned future work on the role of Carers.
Ministers and senior officials discussed and reviewed the Report entitled Spend to Save – Innovative Approaches to Preventative Spend prepared by BIC Social Inclusion officials who visited all eight BIC Administrations to research the different approaches to tackling this key generational issue. They noted the many different, creative and community-based approaches to supporting older people to optimise their independence and remain in a place they can call home, in a community they feel connected to, for as long as possible. Ministers thanked the many voluntary and community organisations in each of the Administrations for their active engagement with officials in the preparation of the Report.
Looking ahead, Ministers confirmed their interest in the issue of Carers and tasked officials, working closely with the BIC Secretariat, to begin consideration of how best we can support carers by looking at best practice, new and creative policy responses and community actions across the eight Administrations. The Ministers agreed that the next Ministerial meeting will take place in Wales in late 2017 or early 2018.
The BIC, established under the Agreement reached in the Multi-Party Negotiation in Belfast on Good Friday 1998 is a forum for its eight Member Administrations to exchange information, discuss, consult, and use best endeavours to reach agreement on co-operation on policy areas of mutual interest.
Read the full communiqué.
