Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Funeral Director Services Regulation

17 November 2021 · 3 other contributors · 4,200 words

Opened by Jake Berry Con Rossendale and Darwen

Responding minister: Tom Pursglove

Standards & Ethics

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Jake Berry raised concerns about funeral director services regulation in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Jake Berry highlighted an incident where a coffin fell into a grave due to snapped straps during a funeral ceremony.
  • The Member for Rossendale and Darwen expressed concern over the lack of independent regulation and inconsistent quality standards in funeral director services.
  • Jake Berry asked the Minister to introduce quality standards for funeral directors and to monitor the effectiveness of self-regulation, reserving the right to move towards formal regulation if necessary.

Key requests to Government

Jake Berry asked the Minister to address the gap in regulations that allows funeral directors to operate without joining professional bodies, thereby limiting families' options for redress when grievances arise. He requested a strong indication from the Government on the direction of travel regarding regulation and urged collaboration across different departments within the Government. He asked the Government to introduce a set of quality standards for funeral directors and to monitor the effectiveness of self-regulation within the industry, reserving the right to move towards formal regulation if necessary.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Jake Berry Con Rossendale and Darwen

Jake Berry highlighted an unfortunate incident involving K.C. Funeral Services in his constituency, where a coffin fell into the grave due to snapped straps during a funeral ceremony on January 22, 2021. The family reported that there was insufficient staff support and inadequate safety measures. They also noted that K.C. Funeral Services is not a member of any voluntary registration schemes such as the National Association of Funeral Directors or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. The Member for Rossendale and Darwen highlighted an incident involving a constituent's relative, describing it as shocking and distressing. He expressed concern over the lack of independent regulation of funeral director services and the inconsistency in quality standards noted by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Other contributors (3)
  • Damien Moore

    Agrees that we should celebrate best practice among funeral directors serving their communities in difficult times.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Congratulates the right hon. Gentleman on securing the debate, agrees with the need for regulation beyond those in funeral directors organisations, and highlights concerns about the July 2020 date potentially leaving thousands without redress.

  • John Hayes Con South Holland and The Deepings

    Endorses remarks on the funeral and bereavement sector's response during the pandemic, draws attention to the issue of cross-Government responsibility for funerals involving multiple Departments, and calls for a cross-Government approach. Complimented Jake Berry's work in raising awareness about tragic cases involving funeral directors, urging the Minister to meet with the all-party parliamentary group to address these issues further.

Government Response

Tom Pursglove

The Minister thanked Jake Berry for securing the debate and acknowledged the difficult circumstances families face when arranging funerals. He noted that while quality standards are not prescribed by law, funeral directors must comply with health and safety regulations and consumer protection measures. The Government accepted the Competition and Markets Authority's recommendation to improve self-regulation but did not propose a full independent regulator at this stage due to pandemic pressures. They plan to introduce a set of quality standards and principles for funeral directors by the end of 2021, with a review within 18 months. He committed to meeting the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Funeral Poverty and to working closely with industry representatives to assess the effectiveness of new self-regulation regimes. The Minister also mentioned 'sunlight' provisions introduced by the Competition and Markets Authority to support customers in making informed choices about funerals, including clear pricing information from all funeral directors. He stated that elements of policy intersect with various Government Departments and promised to engage colleagues across Government to ensure a cohesive approach.

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