Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The Government recognises the urgency of concerns about the funeral sector and is committed to responding at pace to ensure that the highest standards are always upheld by funeral directors and others involved in the care of people that have died.

To that end, the Government is considering the full range of options to strengthen and improve standards to safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased. In this context, an interim update on progress with our response to the Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 report was published by the Department for Health and Social Care on 16 December 2025 (Fuller inquiry: government interim update on phase 2 recommendations - GOV.UK), and we will provide a full response by summer 2026.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The Government recognises the urgency of concerns about the funeral sector and is committed to responding at pace to ensure that the highest standards are always upheld by funeral directors and others involved in the care of people that have died.

To that end, the Government is considering the full range of options to strengthen and improve standards to safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased. In this context, an interim update on progress with our response to the Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 report was published by the Department for Health and Social Care on 16 December 2025 (Fuller inquiry: government interim update on phase 2 recommendations - GOV.UK), and we will provide a full response by summer 2026.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Government will publish a full response to the Inquiry’s recommendations in summer 2026, setting out progress and next steps on the 75 recommendations, including the 11 specified.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

On 16 December 2025, the Government published an Interim update on government progress in responding to the Fuller inquiry phase 2 report, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-inquiry-government-interim-update-on-phase-2-recommendations

The interim update set out the solid progress that has been made in taking forward recommendations. Of the 75 recommendations: 11 have been accepted in full; 43 accepted in principle; and 21 remain under consideration. Full details of the status of all recommendations are contained in the published update.

The Government will publish a full response to the inquiry’s recommendations in summer 2026.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

In July 2025 the Fuller Inquiry’s phase 2 final report was published, which looked at the wider national lessons for hospital and non-hospital settings where the deceased are cared for. It examined whether procedures and practices safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased across the range of settings and made 75 recommendations in total.

This final report recommended the introduction of a statutory regulatory regime for those caring for the deceased. The Department will publish an interim update in winter 2025 and a final response by summer 2026. This will include updates on recommendations for the funeral sector and standards to protect the security and dignity of the deceased in all settings.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices. These include misleading actions and omissions, that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decisions. Traders who engage in commercial practices that are misleading omissions, or misleading actions, may be committing a criminal offence.

In July 2025, the final report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by the David Fuller case recommended the introduction of a statutory regulatory regime for those caring for the deceased. The Department will publish an interim update on progress in winter 2025 and a final response by summer 2026. This will include updates on the recommendations for the funeral sector which set out that direct cremation businesses should also be considered in this context, and mandatory standards to protect the security and dignity of the deceased should be applied to these businesses and to any emerging new models of delivery of care for the deceased.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

Since 2005, His Majesty’s Government has established 18 non-statutory inquiries.

The Cabinet Office collects data on the duration and cost of inquiries from departments, inquiries’ own reports, and other publicly available information. We do not centrally hold data on the projected costs of each inquiry as each Government Department is responsible for the inquiries they sponsor.

We have provided details on all non statutory inquiries established since 2005 in the table below. In the table below, “unknown” means that it is not known by Cabinet Office.

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Inquiry

Legislative Basis

Year established

Duration in months (from announcement to publication of final report)

Reported final costs where publicly available

Manston Inquiry

Non-Statutory

2025

Ongoing

Pending

Cranston Inquiry

Non-statutory

2023

Ongoing

Pending

Andrew Malkinson Inquiry

Non-statutory

2023

Ongoing

Pending

Fuller Inquiry

Non-statutory

2022

Ongoing

Pending

Angiolini Inquiry

Non-statutory

2022

Ongoing

Pending

The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review

Non-statutory

2018

29

£1.7m

Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by Ian Paterson

Non-statutory

2018

26

£1.9m

Independent inquiry into the award of the Magnox decommissioning contract by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and its subsequent termination

Non-statutory

2017

48

Unknown

Gosport Independent Panel

Non-statutory

2014

42

£13m

Harris Review / Independent review of self-inflicted deaths of young adults in custody aged between 18 and 24

Non-statutory

2014

17

£0.2m

The Morecambe Bay Maternity and Neonatal Services Investigation

Non-statutory

2013

18

£1.1m

Daniel Morgan Independent Panel

Non-statutory

2013

97

£17.6m

The Detainee Inquiry

Non-statutory (Committee of Privy Counsellors)

2010

45

£2.3m (exc. VAT)

The Hillsborough Independent Panel

Non-statutory

2009

33

Less than £5m

Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust January 2001 – March 2009

Non-statutory

2009

7

Unknown

The Iraq Inquiry / The Chilcot Inquiry

Non-statutory (Committee of Privy Counsellors)

2009

85

£13.1m

Inquiry into Human Tissue Analysis in UK Nuclear Facilities / Redfern Inquiry

Non-statutory

2007

43

Unknown

Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry

Non-statutory

2007

48

£75k

</tbody>

Answering body: Home Office

Further to my previous response, the Government will lay out a clear timetable before Easter on how we will take forward the 20 recommendations from the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We will also set up a new panel to ensure victims' and survivors' voices are prioritised in future policy making.

We have been clear that local authorities, who are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries, and we stand ready to support as we can. That is why the Home Secretary announced to Parliament on the 6 and 16 January 2025 a range of measures, including stronger national backing for local inquiries and funding provisions to help local councils set up their own reviews. The Home Office will develop a new effective framework for victim-centred, locally-led inquiries, and work with Oldham Council and four other pilot areas to implement it. Additionally, local councils which are yet to hold regional investigations where the group-based sexual offences have been more prevalent will be urged to conduct their own reviews to prevent offending happening again.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January, which set out the actions the Government is taking forward to improve our response to, and understanding of, child sexual exploitation and abuse, including group-based abuse This includes improving the data available on the perpetration of these crimes and the Home Secretary has asked the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to expand the ethnicity data it collects and publishes - gathering data from the end of the investigation when a fuller picture is available.

The Home Secretary is also appointing Baroness Louise Casey to lead an audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, including what is known about the demographics of perpetrators and victims, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.

Answering body: Home Office

Further to my previous response, the Government will lay out a clear timetable before Easter on how we will take forward the 20 recommendations from the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We will also set up a new panel to ensure victims' and survivors' voices are prioritised in future policy making.

We have been clear that local authorities, who are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries, and we stand ready to support as we can. That is why the Home Secretary announced to Parliament on the 6 and 16 January 2025 a range of measures, including stronger national backing for local inquiries and funding provisions to help local councils set up their own reviews. The Home Office will develop a new effective framework for victim-centred, locally-led inquiries, and work with Oldham Council and four other pilot areas to implement it. Additionally, local councils which are yet to hold regional investigations where the group-based sexual offences have been more prevalent will be urged to conduct their own reviews to prevent offending happening again.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January, which set out the actions the Government is taking forward to improve our response to, and understanding of, child sexual exploitation and abuse, including group-based abuse This includes improving the data available on the perpetration of these crimes and the Home Secretary has asked the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to expand the ethnicity data it collects and publishes - gathering data from the end of the investigation when a fuller picture is available.

The Home Secretary is also appointing Baroness Louise Casey to lead an audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, including what is known about the demographics of perpetrators and victims, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.

Answering body: Home Office

Further to my previous response, the Government will lay out a clear timetable before Easter on how we will take forward the 20 recommendations from the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We will also set up a new panel to ensure victims' and survivors' voices are prioritised in future policy making.

We have been clear that local authorities, who are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries, and we stand ready to support as we can. That is why the Home Secretary announced to Parliament on the 6 and 16 January 2025 a range of measures, including stronger national backing for local inquiries and funding provisions to help local councils set up their own reviews. The Home Office will develop a new effective framework for victim-centred, locally-led inquiries, and work with Oldham Council and four other pilot areas to implement it. Additionally, local councils which are yet to hold regional investigations where the group-based sexual offences have been more prevalent will be urged to conduct their own reviews to prevent offending happening again.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January, which set out the actions the Government is taking forward to improve our response to, and understanding of, child sexual exploitation and abuse, including group-based abuse This includes improving the data available on the perpetration of these crimes and the Home Secretary has asked the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to expand the ethnicity data it collects and publishes - gathering data from the end of the investigation when a fuller picture is available.

The Home Secretary is also appointing Baroness Louise Casey to lead an audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, including what is known about the demographics of perpetrators and victims, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

Funeral directors have a profound responsibility to treat those who have died with the utmost dignity and respect and the majority of funeral directors conduct themselves in accordance with the high standards expected of them. However, the Government recognises that there are some significant concerns about certain practices within the funeral sector, as evidenced by the incident in Hull.

This is a complex and sensitive matter that demands careful consideration to ensure a response that effectively safeguards the public. It is crucial to protect the rights and dignity of those who have died and their grieving families, while implementing measures that are proportionate.

For that reason, the Government is thoroughly evaluating all potential next steps to ensure that the high standards upheld by many within the funeral director sector are consistently reflected throughout the entire industry. This includes the possibility of introducing suitable and proportionate regulation for funeral directors. Further updates on the next steps will be provided in due course and the Government will respond to the Fuller Inquiry when its part two report is published.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office collects data on the duration and cost of inquiries from departments, inquiries’ own reports, and other publicly available information.

We have provided details on all statutory and non-statutory inquiries established since 2005 in the table below.

In some cases, information in the table below has come from reports from outside the Government. We have not included the costs for ongoing inquiries, which are published at different frequencies on inquiry or departmental websites, and we have not included the details for any investigations commissioned by NHS England (some of which were counted in the total number of non-statutory inquiries in our previous response, answered on 8th February 2024, UIN HL1937). It has been noted where the publicly available information provides the cost excluding VAT.

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Inquiry

Sponsor Department

Legislative Basis

Year established

Duration in months (from announcement to publication of final report)

Reported final costs where publicly available

Jalal Uddin Inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2023

Ongoing

-

Cranston Inquiry

DfT

Non-statutory

2023

Ongoing

-

Andrew Malkinson Inquiry

MoJ

Non-statutory

2023

Ongoing

-

Thirlwall Inquiry

DHSC

Inquiries Act 2005

2023

Ongoing

-

Inquiry into the preventability of the Omagh bombing

NIO

Inquiries Act 2005

2023

Ongoing

-

Independent inquiry relating to Afghanistan

Ministry of Defence

Inquiries Act 2005

2022

Ongoing

-

Dawn Sturgess Inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2022

Ongoing

-

Fuller Inquiry

DHSC

Non-statutory

2022

Ongoing

-

Angiolini Inquiry

HO

Non-statutory

2022

Ongoing

-

UK Covid-19 Inquiry

Cabinet Office

Inquiries Act 2005

2022

Ongoing

-

Lampard Inquiry

DHSC

Inquiries Act 2005

2021

Ongoing

-

Jermaine Baker inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2020

29

£4.1m

Post Office Horizon IT inquiry

DBT

Inquiries Act 2005

2020

Ongoing

-

Manchester Arena inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2019

41

£35.6m

Brook House Inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2019

46

£18.7m

The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2018

29

£1.7m

Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by Ian Paterson

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2018

26

£1.9m

Grenfell Tower Inquiry

Cabinet Office

Inquiries Act 2005

2017

Ongoing

-

Infected Blood Inquiry

Cabinet Office

Inquiries Act 2005

2017

Ongoing

-

Independent inquiry into the award of the Magnox decommissioning contract by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and its subsequent termination

BEIS

Non-statutory

2017

48

[unknown]

Anthony Grainger Inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2016

40

£2.6m

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2015

99

£192.7m (as of Dec 2022)

Undercover Policing Inquiry

HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2015

Ongoing

-

Gosport Independent Panel

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2014

42

£13m

The Litvinenko Inquiry

HO, FCO and 3 x Intelligence Agencies

Inquiries Act 2005

2014

18

£2.4m (exc. VAT)

Harris Review / Independent review of self-inflicted deaths of young adults in custody aged between 18 and 24

MoJ

Non-statutory

2014

17

£0.2m

The Morecambe Bay Maternity and Neonatal Services Investigation

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2013

18

£1.1m

Daniel Morgan Independent Panel

HO

Non-statutory

2013

97

£17.6m

The Leveson Inquiry

DCMS and HO

Inquiries Act 2005

2011

16

£5.4m

The Azelle Rodney Inquiry

MoJ

Inquiries Act 2005

2010

40

£2.6m

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry 2013 / The Francis Inquiry

Department of Health

Inquiries Act 2005

2010

36

£13.7m

The Detainee Inquiry

Cabinet Office

Non-statutory (Committee of Privy Counsellors)

2010

45

£2.3m (exc. VAT)

The Hillsborough Independent Panel

HO

Non-statutory

2009

33

Less than £5m

The Al Sweady Inquiry

MoD

Inquiries Act 2005

2009

61

£24.9m (exc. VAT)

Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust January 2001 – March 2009

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2009

7

-

The Iraq Inquiry / The Chilcot Inquiry

Cabinet Office, FCO, DfID

Non-statutory (Committee of Privy Counsellors)

2009

85

£13.1m

The Bernard (Sonny) Lodge Inquiry

MoJ

Inquiries Act 2005

2009

10

£0.4m

The Baha Mousa Inquiry

MoD

Inquiries Act 2005

2008

39

£13m

Inquiry into Human Tissue Analysis in UK Nuclear Facilities / Redfern Inquiry

DTI - BERR - DECC

Non-statutory

2007

43

-

Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry

Department of Health

Non-statutory

2007

48

£75k

</tbody>

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by the David Fuller case is continuing to carefully consider evidence. The Report into the first phase of the Inquiry on local matters concerning Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is planned in 2023. A final report containing recommendations relating to the broader national picture and wider lessons for the National Health Service and for other settings is expected to follow in 2024.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The government is reviewing the statutory maximum penalty available for the offence of sexual penetration of a corpse under section 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This review is taking place alongside the independent inquiry into the events surrounding David Fuller’s horrific offending in hospitals in Kent. That inquiry is due to publish interim findings shortly, with a final report published at a later date. Our review of available maximum penalties is likely to follow similar timescales, to ensure findings from the wider inquiry can be taken into account.

The current statutory maximum penalty is for one offence; where more than one offence is sentenced at the same time, each offence will be sentenced individually and the overall sentence passed will reflect the totality of offending behaviour, which may mean sentences being served consecutively. Our review of the statutory maximum penalty is considering instances of the commission of multiple, as well as single, offences.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The government is reviewing the statutory maximum penalty available for the offence of sexual penetration of a corpse under section 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This review is taking place alongside the independent inquiry into the events surrounding David Fuller’s horrific offending in hospitals in Kent. That inquiry is due to publish interim findings shortly, with a final report published at a later date. Our review of available maximum penalties is likely to follow similar timescales, to ensure findings from the wider inquiry can be taken into account.

The current statutory maximum penalty is for one offence; where more than one offence is sentenced at the same time, each offence will be sentenced individually and the overall sentence passed will reflect the totality of offending behaviour, which may mean sentences being served consecutively. Our review of the statutory maximum penalty is considering instances of the commission of multiple, as well as single, offences.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

On 8 November, the Government announced an Inquiry into the offences committed by David Fuller in Tunbridge Wells, and that we would be reviewing the existing penalty available for the offence of sexual penetration of a corpse. These reviews may highlight issues relating to the coverage of the existing offences that deal with desecration, and we will consider any changes to the law in light of their findings.

Answering body: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The UN Commission of Inquiry report, published in 2014, highlighted the severe and systematic human rights violations perpetrated by the regime on its own people. These include summary executions, torture, lack of judicial process, forced labour and prevention of freedom of expression and religion. There is no evidence that the situation is improving. The UK Government will continue to work closely with partners and through international fora to raise its significant concerns about human rights in the DPRK and press for substantial reforms to improve the lives of North Korean citizens. The UK regularly raises our concerns about human rights violations directly with the regime through our Embassy in Pyongyang. The UK will support the annual resolution on DPRK human rights at the forthcoming UN General Assembly to maintain international attention on that country’s dire human rights record. I include with this answer a copy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Report 2015 which includes a fuller assessment of the human rights situation in the DPRK.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister will set out the Government's initial response when the report is published. The Prime Minister will also set out what further steps the Government will take to allow for fuller consideration of and response to the report.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister will set out the Government's initial response when the report is published. The Prime Minister will also set out what further steps the Government will take to allow for fuller consideration of and response to the report.