Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the Department made of the potential merits of funeral directors becoming a a) licensable or b) inspectable activity under existing environmental health frameworks.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their statutory obligations. Environmental Health Officers have no statutory role relating to funeral homes.
The Department has not made an assessment or collected data on regulatory gaps, environmental health standards, or the merits of inspection relating to funeral directors, but are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who are leading the government response to the Fuller Inquiry. An interim update on the Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations was published in December 2025, and DHSC has committed to publishing the Government’s full response in summer 2026. That response will set out the Government’s position on any potential future changes to oversight or regulation of the funeral sector.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the department made of the adequacy of environmental health inspections with regard to the case of Elkin & Bell Funeral Directors, Portsmouth Crown Court 2026.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their statutory obligations. Environmental Health Officers have no statutory role relating to funeral homes.
The Department has not made an assessment or collected data on regulatory gaps, environmental health standards, or the merits of inspection relating to funeral directors, but are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who are leading the government response to the Fuller Inquiry. An interim update on the Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations was published in December 2025, and DHSC has committed to publishing the Government’s full response in summer 2026. That response will set out the Government’s position on any potential future changes to oversight or regulation of the funeral sector.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data does the department collect on environmental health breaches associated with a) poor hygiene, b) storage of bodies or c) handling practices in funeral premises.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their statutory obligations. Environmental Health Officers have no statutory role relating to funeral homes.
The Department has not made an assessment or collected data on regulatory gaps, environmental health standards, or the merits of inspection relating to funeral directors, but are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who are leading the government response to the Fuller Inquiry. An interim update on the Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations was published in December 2025, and DHSC has committed to publishing the Government’s full response in summer 2026. That response will set out the Government’s position on any potential future changes to oversight or regulation of the funeral sector.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has the department made of possible regulatory gaps concerning funeral directors with particular regard to a) environmental health and b) public safety.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their statutory obligations. Environmental Health Officers have no statutory role relating to funeral homes.
The Department has not made an assessment or collected data on regulatory gaps, environmental health standards, or the merits of inspection relating to funeral directors, but are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who are leading the government response to the Fuller Inquiry. An interim update on the Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations was published in December 2025, and DHSC has committed to publishing the Government’s full response in summer 2026. That response will set out the Government’s position on any potential future changes to oversight or regulation of the funeral sector.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of standards of environmental health particular to funeral directors as settings which could impact public health.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government offers its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the events referred to in these questions.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the recruitment and management of Environmental Health Officers to fulfil their statutory obligations. Environmental Health Officers have no statutory role relating to funeral homes.
The Department has not made an assessment or collected data on regulatory gaps, environmental health standards, or the merits of inspection relating to funeral directors, but are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who are leading the government response to the Fuller Inquiry. An interim update on the Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations was published in December 2025, and DHSC has committed to publishing the Government’s full response in summer 2026. That response will set out the Government’s position on any potential future changes to oversight or regulation of the funeral sector.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and (b) Secretary of State for Transport on the Freeport bidding process and the employment conditions of (i) port workers and (ii) seafarers.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Freeports bidding process was rigorously discussed across Government departments to ensure this programme was fit for purpose. The Government remains committed to ensuring Freeports maintains the UK’s high standards with respect to security, safety, workers’ rights, data protection, biosecurity, and the environment, while ensuring fair and open competition between businesses.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2022 to Question 115885 on Thames Freeport, if he will list all businesses directly involved in the bids for the (a) Thames, (b) Solent, (c) Humber, (d) Teesside and (e) Liverpool Freeport models.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
Freeports bring local authorities together with a wide range of private sector partners, including port and customs site operators, landowners, and tenant businesses. The nature of these coalitions have and will continue to evolve over time as business choose to locate in Freeports and take advantage of the attractive business environment they provide. Each Freeport will have a local governing body, responsible to Government for delivery of the Freeport proposal, which is expected to operate in line with appropriate levels of transparency, propriety, and inclusivity.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2022 to Question 115885 on Thames Freeport, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Work and Pensions since December 2019 on the UK pension liabilities of international companies involved in bids for Freeport status.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Freeport model includes a broad coalition of local partners, including businesses, local authorities, and ports. Trustees and employers have a wide range of legal duties in respect of workplace schemes and are responsible for compliance with legislative funding requirements. The Pension Regulator is the regulator of work-based pension schemes, and has a range of powers that it may use to intervene, and to take action, primarily against trustees and employers, where they do not comply with their duties.
The Freeport Governance Body will be responsible for the effective delivery of the Freeport according to the economic strategy determined through the bidding process and the Freeport Governance Body will work with Government to ensure the Freeport stays aligned with national policy and delivers on its monitoring and evaluation commitments. The Government recognises rigorous monitoring and evaluation will be key to the success of the Freeports. The Government fully intends to evaluate the impact of Freeports and will be publishing its monitoring and evaluation strategy in the Spring.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2022 to Question 115885 on Thames Freeport, if he will list the criteria used to assess the UK pension liabilities of international companies with UK subsidiaries that operate in (a) Thames, (b) Solent, (c) Humber, (d) Teesside and (e) Liverpool Freeports.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Freeport model includes a broad coalition of local partners, including businesses, local authorities, and ports. Trustees and employers have a wide range of legal duties in respect of workplace schemes and are responsible for compliance with legislative funding requirements. The Pension Regulator is the regulator of work-based pension schemes, and has a range of powers that it may use to intervene, and to take action, primarily against trustees and employers, where they do not comply with their duties.
The Freeport Governance Body will be responsible for the effective delivery of the Freeport according to the economic strategy determined through the bidding process and the Freeport Governance Body will work with Government to ensure the Freeport stays aligned with national policy and delivers on its monitoring and evaluation commitments. The Government recognises rigorous monitoring and evaluation will be key to the success of the Freeports. The Government fully intends to evaluate the impact of Freeports and will be publishing its monitoring and evaluation strategy in the Spring.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Independent - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department made an assessment of the pension liabilities of DP World’s UK subsidiaries during the Freeport bidding process.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Freeport model includes a broad coalition of local partners, including businesses, local authorities and ports. Trustees and employers have a wide range of legal duties in respect of workplace schemes and are responsible for compliance with legislative funding requirements.
As set out in the Bidding Prospectus, each Freeport proposal was subjected to an assessment against defined criteria that related to the ability to deliver the Freeports policy objectives. This assessment process was led by MHCLG (now DLUHC) with involvement from other government departments.
The Pension Regulator is the regulator of work-based pension schemes and has a range of powers that it may use to intervene, and to take action, primarily against trustees and employers, where they don’t comply with their duties.