Burial Regulations Working Group

Overview

The Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”) received Royal Assent in April 2016 and provides powers for Scottish Ministers to make provision for the regulation of burial authorities and burial grounds in Scotland.

In July 2016, a Burial Regulations Working Group was formed to commence work on the regulations for burial authorities and burial grounds. The Group at that time agreed that priority should be given to implementing part two of the 2016 Act on Cremation, resulting in the Cremation (Scotland) Regulation 2019, and commencing part three of the 2016 Act which sets out who can arrange a funeral. This was in line with the recommendations of Lord Bonomy’s Infant Cremation Commission. 

In December 2019, a second iteration of the Working Group was formed to progress the regulations, although this work was then delayed in March 2020 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The current iteration of the Burial Regulations Working Group, set up in December 2021, seeks to continue the work of the previous Working Groups. Its remit is to inform the regulation of burial authorities and grounds in Scotland, the development of statutory guidance and the creation of a Code of Practice for burial authorities.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that these regulations are fair, proportionate and respectful to both the deceased and the bereaved, and to that end has invited representatives from across the funeral sector, including public and private burial authorities, trade associations, cultural and heritage organisations, and third sector and charitable organisations to be members of the Working Group.

Members

The Burial Regulations Working Group is chaired by The Scottish Government.

Membership

• Alasdair McKenzie, Historic Environment Scotland
• Brendan Day, Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities
• Brian Corrigan, Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
• Danny Maxwell, South Lanarkshire Council
• Darren Richardson, Orkney Islands Council
• David MacColl, Glasgow City Council
• David MacLeod, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
• Elaine Schendel, East Ayrshire Council
• Fiona Porter, North Ayrshire Council
• Gordon Findlater, Inspector for Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors
• Iain Campbell, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
• Ian Kearns, Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities
• Jane Matheson, City of Edinburgh Council
• James Blackburn, National Association of Funeral Directors
• James Morris, National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors
• John Downes, Scottish Bereavement Benchmarking Group
• John Lawson, Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers UK
• John MacLean, Highland Council
• John Proffitt, Edinburgh Crematorium Limited
• Joseph Murren, National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors 
• Julie Dunk, Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management
• Katie Huxtable, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Liz Murphy, Fife Council
• Lorna Richardson, Orkney Islands Council
• Nick Britten, National Association of Funeral Directors
• Nicola Welsh, Held in our Hearts
• Robert Swanson, Senior Inspector for Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors
• Russell Brooks, National Association of Memorial Masons
• Sam Harris, Orkney Island Council
• Shirley Bruce, Aberdeenshire Council
• Susan Buckham, National Committee on the Carved Stones in Scotland
• Tim Purves, William Purves Funeral Directors
• Yvonne Scot, Shetland Islands Council

Publications

Burial Regulations Working Group: terms of reference