§ Mr. Molsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the control which he proposes to exercise over funeral charges.
§ Mr. H. WilsonNo statutory control of these charges is proposed; but the Central Price Regulation Committee have made an arrangement (which came into effect on 1st June) with the National Association of Funeral Directors and the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Congress, which provides that no funeral director shall charge more for a funeral than he was charging in February, 1949, and that the maximum charge for a simple earth burial or cremation shall be £20 (exclusive of items such as clergy and interment fees). The simple funeral will consist of a hearse, four bearers and one following car, and is subject to the distance not exceeding 10 miles. In addition, maximum charges, which will apply to all funerals, and not only to the simple funeral which is subject to a maximum charge of £20, have been agreed for additional mileage, extra following cars, the use of a chapel of rest and removal of the body before the funeral. Funeral directors will make available in their establishments an itemised list of their charges for all their services in connection with funerals.