Call for funeral sector regulation after jailings

An MP has called for tougher regulation of funeral directors after two were jailed for leaving bodies unrefrigerated for weeks.

Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage held a debate in the House of Commons on Monday calling for greater oversight of the industry.

It follows the case of Gosport funeral directors Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell, who were last month jailed for four years.

The government said it is considering "the full range of options" to improve standards in the sector.

Dame Caroline, who has worked with families affected by the case, said she was "blown away" by the lack of regulation in the industry.

"These companies are operating completely out of the public eye and with nobody to check whether or not they're caring for the bodies of the loved ones they have under their roof," she said.

There is currently no statutory regulation of the funeral sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, a statutory code of practice for funeral directors was introduced last year.

In England, funeral directors can voluntarily join industry bodies that set standards for members, but there is no requirement to do so.

Dame Caroline is urging the government to introduce minimum standards of care, minimum qualifications and inspections.

Earlier this month, minister Alison McGovern said the government would decide by the summer whether statutory regulations should be introduced.

Elkin, 49, and Bell, 42, who ran Elkin and Bell Funerals in Gosport, kept 46 bodies in unrefrigerated conditions over an 18-month period at their premises on Nobes Avenue.

They were found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court of preventing a lawful burial, causing a public nuisance and fraudulent trading between June 2022 and December 2023.

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