That this House notes that approximately 5,000 infants and children pass away each year in the UK; further notes that the cost of children's funerals imposes a significant and unexpected financial burden on bereaved parents; recognises that some local authorities, as well as religious officiants and undertakers, currently waive all or a proportion of the fees associated with children's funerals; further recognises that many individuals, community groups and schools undertake fundraising to cover such funeral costs; acknowledges that the total annual cost of fees associated with children's funerals is £10 million; and calls on the Government to establish a specific fund, from which local authorities can draw, to pay the costs associated with children's funerals.

That this House notes that approximately 5,000 infants and children pass away each year in the UK; further notes that the cost of children's funerals imposes a significant and unexpected financial burden on bereaved parents; recognises that some local authorities, as well as religious officiants and undertakers, currently waive all...

That this House notes the growing concern over allegations of widespread aggressive and predatory marketing of prepaid and at need funeral and burial services targeted at the elderly and bereaved, the lack of transparency in the ownership of seemingly family run funeral parlours and in the prices charged for their services; the lack of control over the use and management of investments into prepaid funeral plans, now exceeding ??10 million and growing rapidly and over the endorsement of these products by registered charities whose subsidiary trading companies are in receipt of commissions on sales; further notes that recommendations made by the Office of Fair Trading in 1995 to curb anti-competitive practices in the supply of funeral services have yet to be acted upon; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation without further delay to regulate the selling and management of prepaid funeral investment plans, require total transparency in the declaration and display of ownership of funeral businesses and their charges, control the commercial activities of registered charities and their trading subsidiaries in the context of their charitable status and prohibit anti-competitive and predatory trading practices through direct selling techniques, through monopoly positions, and through exclusive commercial arrangements with nursing homes, hospices and NHS hospitals bereavement services.

That this House notes the growing concern over allegations of widespread aggressive and predatory marketing of prepaid and at need funeral and burial services targeted at the elderly and bereaved, the lack of transparency in the ownership of seemingly family run funeral parlours and in the prices charged for their...

That this House notes with concern that Social Fund funeral payments are not available if the deceased person has left their body to medical science; considers this to be a penny-pinching response to an altruistic gesture of great value to the rest of the community; notes that Ms Hazel Cameron, a disabled, single parent, had to pay for the return rail fare from London to Glasgow and for the death certificate on her father to make the arrangements for the transfer of his body to a university and eventually to travel back to collect the ashes of the remains from the crematorium; deeply regrets that all the Department of Social Security could offer was a Social Fund loan; and therefore calls on the Government to extend funeral payments to relatives in the position of Ms Cameron.

That this House notes with concern that Social Fund funeral payments are not available if the deceased person has left their body to medical science; considers this to be a penny-pinching response to an altruistic gesture of great value to the rest of the community; notes that Ms Hazel Cameron,...

That this House congratulates Professor Geoffrey Woodroffe on his appointment as the first ombudsman for funeral services; welcomes the increased consumer protection which will stem from the establishment of his office; applauds the campaign of the Funeral Standards Council to improve the level of consumer protection and redress in the funeral services sector; and recognises the commitment to high professional standards made by the two founding members of the Funeral Standards Council, the Co-operative Funeral Services Association and the Funeral Planning Council. (Relevant registered interest declared).

That this House congratulates Professor Geoffrey Woodroffe on his appointment as the first ombudsman for funeral services; welcomes the increased consumer protection which will stem from the establishment of his office; applauds the campaign of the Funeral Standards Council to improve the level of consumer protection and redress in the...