1-8 of 8 results for subject:Funerals
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To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including funeral directors as Category 2 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including funeral directors as Category 2 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act.
The Government is committed to undertaking a statutory review of the Civil Contingencies Act every five years. This was last undertaken in March 2017 which means we must complete a further review by 2022. As part of this, we will consider whether changes need to be made to the list of category 1 and 2 responders under the Act. In doing so, we will want to reflect carefully on lessons from recent events, including the part funeral directors and others have played in ensuring the dignified and effective management of the deceased during the Covid pandemic.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing transition arrangements in the event that the Financial Conduct Authority becomes responsible for the pre-paid funeral plan market.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing transition arrangements in the event that the Financial Conduct Authority becomes responsible for the pre-paid funeral plan market.
HM Treasury has analysed the submissions to the call for evidence on pre-paid funeral plans and is currently reviewing the available policy options.
This includes considering transitional arrangements to any new regulatory framework. The response to the call for evidence will be published in due course.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation entitled Pre-paid funeral plans, launched in June 2018.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation entitled Pre-paid funeral plans, launched in June 2018.
HM Treasury has analysed the submissions to the call for evidence and is currently reviewing the available policy options. The response to the call for evidence will be published in due course.
Q4
.
Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab):
It has been almost a year since I stood in this Chamber, told my personal story and asked for a children’s funeral fund to be established. The Leader of the House recently expressed her sympathy for such a fund, and I have written to the Chancellor and urged him to include such a fund in next week’s Budget. Will the Prime Minister add her voice to mine, and ask her Chancellor to make this provision a reality?
Q4
.
Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab):
It has been almost a year since I stood in this Chamber, told my personal story and asked for a children’s funeral fund to be established. The Leader of the House recently expressed her sympathy for such a fund, and I have written to the Chancellor and urged him to include such a fund in next week’s Budget. Will the Prime Minister add her voice to mine, and ask her Chancellor to make this provision a reality?
The hon. Lady has been a passionate campaigner on this issue, and has very thoughtfully shared her own personal experience with this House. We recognise what an incredibly painful experience it is to lose a child, and I know that the whole House is in sympathy with those who do experience such a tragedy each year; sadly, thousands of families do.
We have put in place a piece of cross-Government work to look at the whole question of how we can improve support for bereaved parents in a variety of ways. That work is being led by the Under-Secretary of
State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Bracknell (Dr Lee), who has responsibility for youth justice. We are already supporting the private Member’s Bill on parental bereavement promoted by my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake). We are making it easier for parents to apply for financial support, and we are also ensuring that support from across Government is brought together so that it is easily accessible for bereaved parents at what we know is a very difficult time.
Q3
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Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab):
The Prime Minister will be aware that the Welsh Labour Government have established a children’s funeral fund. Many independent and leading funeral providers, such
as The Co-operative and Dignity, have also indicated that there will be no charges for children’s and young people’s funerals. I know that she is a compassionate woman, and I know that she understands the importance of a children’s funeral fund, so will she agree to work with me to further establish this fund, to bring some comfort to bereaved parents in their darkest hour?
Q3
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Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab):
The Prime Minister will be aware that the Welsh Labour Government have established a children’s funeral fund. Many independent and leading funeral providers, such
as The Co-operative and Dignity, have also indicated that there will be no charges for children’s and young people’s funerals. I know that she is a compassionate woman, and I know that she understands the importance of a children’s funeral fund, so will she agree to work with me to further establish this fund, to bring some comfort to bereaved parents in their darkest hour?
I pay tribute to the hon. Lady, who has campaigned tirelessly on this issue. Obviously, she is not just a passionate campaigner, but has on many occasions spoken movingly in this House about her own experience, which she is bringing to bear on this issue. I welcome the decision that has been taken by the Co-op to waive funeral fees, and I recognise the actions of the Welsh Government. Of course there is some financial support available, but we are looking at the issue and the problems faced by parents. We are looking at what more can be done through cross-Government work, and I will ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is leading on that work, to meet with her to talk about the idea.
Having now received a response from the Prime Minister to my request for a children’s funeral fund, I was disturbed to be told that the social fund could provide a “simple and respectful funeral.” This answer is both insensitive and totally lacks any understanding of my original request. Has the Leader of the House the authority to facilitate a meeting with me and other bereaved mothers, so that we can explain to the Prime Minister exactly what we are asking for? This request is important to us as parents, many in this House and, judging from my postbag, many people and organisations across the country.
Having now received a response from the Prime Minister to my request for a children’s funeral fund, I was disturbed to be told that the social fund could provide a “simple and respectful funeral.” This answer is both insensitive and totally lacks any understanding of my original request. Has the Leader of the House the authority to facilitate a meeting with me and other bereaved mothers, so that we can explain to the Prime Minister exactly what we are asking for? This request is important to us as parents, many in this House and, judging from my postbag, many people and organisations across the country.
Burying a child must be an incredibly painful experience for any family, and I think we all pay respect to, and have enormous sympathy with, the hon. Member for Swansea East (Carolyn Harris). She says she speaks on behalf of thousands of parents who have had to go through that anguish. As the Prime Minister has said, there are mechanisms in place for making financial support available from central Government, and local authorities are of course free to waive funeral fees for child burials, and many of them do so. I will talk to my ministerial colleagues about the hon. Lady’s request for a meeting, and I am sure that she will receive a response to that.
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...
Agreed to on question.
Agreed to on question.