New life for burial law

Scottish Executive launches review of burial and cremation arrangements

News, 8 March 2005

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A new group set up to review burial and cremation legislation has held its first meeting.

Health Minister Andy Kerr announced that the Scottish Executive has launched a review of the law, which is based on 150 year old legislation.

He added: "We recognise that existing burial and cremation legislation in Scotland needs to be updated to reflect 21st century life and better serve the needs of the people of Scotland.”

Work has already been done to amend cremation regulations to take account of recommendations identified by the Independent Review Group on Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem.

Mr Kerr added: "Now our review group will work together to prepare a more comprehensive paper which identifies other issues that should be taken into consideration when modernising the legislation. In particular, we need to take account of the outcomes of the Shipman Inquiry in regard to death certification.

"This updating of the burial and cremation legislation is part of a wider aim of ours to modernise public health legislation."

Issues which may be covered in the review of the legislation include "home" burials, differing religious practices, cremation of those who die overseas and handling of corpses which may be infectious.

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