Management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs - regulation: consultation analysis

Profile of Respondents

The Scottish Government was keen to gather the views of local authority and private burial or cremation authorities, funeral directors, funeral industry trade body representatives and any other groups or individuals with a working knowledge of burial, cremation, funeral directing or the wider funeral industry. The Scottish Government also wanted to hear from members of the public. Responses were received from all groups.

There was a total of 59 responses. Most responses (54) were received though the consultation hub, and a further five were received by email. A small number of responses were accepted after the official closing date, on request. Of the responses received by email, one was a non-standard response that offered a statement and did not answer the consultation questions directly. Where data from this response were considered relevant to specific consultation questions, these data were included in the analysis of those questions. All other data from this non-standard response were analysed in Question 2.

Of the fifty-nine (59) respondents, (n=37, 63%) were submitted on behalf of an organisation, and (n=22, 37%) were from individuals. Of those who identified as ‘individuals’, the majority (n=18, 82%) said they did not work in the funeral sector. Organisation respondents were asked to identify which organisation they were responding on behalf of and the type of work the organisation was involved in.^[1] Table 1 provides further detail on this. Responses were received from those representing burial authorities, funeral director organisations, local government, relevant trade bodies, faith organisations and third sector organisations. Responses from individuals included both those working within, and outwith, the funeral sector.