The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, has announced an update on the Government’s proposals to regulate the funeral sector, announced after the sentencing of funeral director Robert Bush, who was sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment on a total of 67 charges, including the prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud, fraudulent trading and theft.

The Government is to bring forward “comprehensive proposals to ensure respect and dignity for the deceased in every setting, to drive rogue operators out of the funeral industry, and to protect other families from suffering this same heartache”. The Law Commission will also undertake a review of the criminal law in relation to the deceased, consider any gaps in existing legal protections and make recommendations on the creation of new offences,

The full statement is here.