Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a cross-Departmental lead group to assess the issues affecting the funeral and death care sector.

The pan-UK and cross-departmental C19 Death Management programme provides strategic and operational support to those looking after the deceased and supporting the bereaved. This programme is led by the Cabinet Office working closely with the relevant sector, local responders and government departments to ensure the deceased are treated with dignity and respect.

The Government is considering, as part of its response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s ‘Funeral Markets Investigation’ into the operation of the funeral sector, the enduring requirement for such structures once the immediate pressures from the pandemic have eased. The Government response is being led by the Ministry of Justice.