Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with local authorities on their compliance with advertising standards for the provision of funeral and cremation services.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the legislative framework to which local authorities’ provision of burial and cremation is subject. However, we do not have day-to-day operational oversight of public cemeteries and crematoria, which are managed locally in line with relevant priorities.

In addition, the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 (Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 - GOV.UK) requires all crematorium operators to display specified price information and supply it to customers and local funeral directors; to provide the CMA with specified revenue and volume information; and to provide an annual compliance statement to the CMA.

More generally, local authorities should ensure that publicity complies with all applicable statutory provisions, including the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity 2011 (1878324.pdf). Paid-for advertising must comply with the Advertising Standards Authority’s Advertising Codes.