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Written Question
Cremation
Tuesday 25th February 2025

Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to require all funeral directors and crematoria to publish their schedule of planned direct cremations to ensure that the service that has been commissioned has been carried out.

Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede

The Law Commission is currently undertaking its “Burial, Cremation and New Funerary Methods” project which seeks to create a future-proof legal framework to address what happens to our bodies after we die and to make recommendations that will provide modern, certain and consistent regulation across different funerary methods. As part of this project, the Law Commission has considered issues surrounding direct cremation. Its recent “Burial and Cremation” consultation document invited evidence from consultees as to whether, in relation to direct cremations, there are cases where an applicant for the cremation will not know which crematorium will be used at the time of application.

The Government does not currently have plans to require all funeral directors and crematoria to publish their schedule of planned direct cremations. Direct cremations are subject to the same legislation as any other cremation. The Government will consider any changes to the legal framework governing direct cremations as part of any wider recommendations made by the Law Commission in due course. As the Law Commission project is still ongoing, we do not want to pre-empt its recommendations. We look forward to carefully considering these once published, which we expect to be towards the end of 2025.

Written Question
Cremation
Tuesday 25th February 2025

Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether funeral directors providing a direct cremation service are required to collect the body of a deceased person from a hospital mortuary within a specified time frame after the medical examiner has issued the medical certificate of cause of death.

Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede

At present there is no mandatory time period within which all funeral directors across England and Wales should collect the body of a person who has died and take them into their care.

The introduction of regulation into the funeral director sector requires thorough consideration due to the complexity and sensitive nature of the area. It is essential to ensure that the rights and dignity of deceased individuals and their bereaved family members are protected, while implementing measures that are proportionate.

For that reason, the Government is considering the full range of possible next steps to ensure appropriate standards are in place, including the potential for introducing some form of appropriate, proportionate regulation of funeral directors. An update on next steps will be provided in due course.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 08 Nov 2021
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I have added my name to this amendment. I declare that I chair the Commission on Alcohol Harm.

This amendment would simply bring us in line with other EU and Commonwealth nations. It has been estimated that this amendment alone could save at least 25 lives a year …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 22 Oct 2021
Assisted Dying Bill [HL]

"My Lords, I declare all my roles in the register. My experience extends to caring for several thousand dying patients. The horror stories we have heard today must be followed up. But here Parliament is being asked to sign a blank cheque for the unscrupulous. As the noble Lord, Lord …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Assisted Dying Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 11 Oct 2021
Child Trust Funds

"My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of the National Mental Capacity Forum. Will the consultations specifically consider how to exclude coercion, malintent or diversion of the person’s funds for use other than purely in their interest, if there is no lasting power of attorney or court-appointed deputy?..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 22 Jun 2021
Child Trust Funds: People with a Learning Disability

"Does the Minister agree that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, should be congratulated on the Mental Capacity Act, which is a precious piece of legislation that protects the most vulnerable? Does he agree that any erosion by creating exceptions to its established processes would fail to …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Child Trust Funds: People with a Learning Disability
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 21 Apr 2021
Domestic Abuse Bill

"At end insert “and do propose Amendment 9B in lieu of Amendment 9—..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Domestic Abuse Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 21 Apr 2021
Domestic Abuse Bill

"My Lords, the amendment I have tabled is a modified and simplified version of the previous amendment regarding child contact centres. I am most grateful to the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, for meeting the noble Baronesses, Lady McIntosh of Pickering and Lady Burt of Solihull, the …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Domestic Abuse Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 21 Apr 2021
Domestic Abuse Bill

"My Lords, I am most grateful to all who have spoken, and particularly to my noble and learned friend Lady Butler-Sloss for her support, which I view as weighty. I stress to the House that a call for common standards seems to have come through in all the speeches in …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 25 Mar 2021
Child Trust Funds: Children with Learning Disabilities

"My Lords, I declare that I chair the National Mental Capacity Forum. The Mental Capacity Act aims to protect against exploitation and support decision-making, but Covid lockdowns have caused delays in the Court of Protection. How is the backlog of these financial cases being mitigated by digital processes to ensure …..."
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff - View Speech

View all Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Child Trust Funds: Children with Learning Disabilities