§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 19 May (HL Deb, column 576), whether they propose to create additional offences to ensure that the respect that ought to be shown to human remains is not violated; whether the reputation of deceased persons is to be similarly protected; or whether they intend that the sexual penetration of a corpse should, along with exhumation, be the only action to be criminalised. [HL2990]
§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton:The Government have no plans to introduce any additional offence of this type. As explained in the debate of 19 May, the new offence in the Sexual Offences Bill relates to the specific area of sex offending, not more generally.
However the Government are aware of the concerns in respect of human remains. In July 2002 we published a major consultation report, Human Bodies, Human Choices, as part of a review of the law in England and Wales on the removal, retention and use of human tissue and organs. One of the purposes of this review, which follows the publication of the reports of the Bristol and Alder Hey inquiries, will be to establish consent as the determining principle in the use of human organs and tissue following death and at post mortem. It is also proposed that retention of tissue or organs without consent should be an offence. We will be bringing forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.