Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to remove doctor's fees for cremations.

The Government’s response to the 2016 consultation on reforms to death certification in England and Wales set out plans to remove cremation medical referees, as well as the two cremation medical certificates (forms Cremation 4 and Cremation 5), with the associated fees, following implementation of a statutory medical examiner scheme.

Form Cremation 5 was permanently removed on 25 March and we are committed to removing form Cremation 4 once the statutory medical examiner system has been implemented in full. Cremation medical referees will also be removed after a transitionary period following full implementation.