Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. The Act

   1. Summary and background

3. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1 – Burial

      1. Burial grounds

         1. Section 1 – Meaning of “burial ground”

         2. Section 2 – Meaning of “burial authority”

         3. Section 3 – Provision of burial ground: local authority

         4. Section 4 – Provision of burial ground outwith local authority area

         5. Section 5 – Joint provision of burial ground

         6. Section 6 – Management of burial ground

         7. Section 7 – Right to erect building

      2. Burial in burial ground

         1. Section 8 – Application to carry out burial

         2. Section 9 – Unauthorised burials: offences

         3. Section 10 – Burial register

         4. Section 11 – Burial register: offence

         5. Section 12 – Right of burial

         6. Section 13 – Duty to sell right of burial

         7. Section 14 – Duration and extension of right of burial

         8. Section 15 – Commonwealth War Graves Commission: right of burial

         9. Section 16 – Right of burial: notification of pending extinguishment

         10. Section 17 – Register of rights of burial

         11. Section 18 – Registers under section 17: offence

         12. Section 19 – Right to erect headstone

         13. Section 20 – Fees for burials

         14. Section 21 –Burial authority: code of practice

      3. Private burial

         1. Section 22 – Private burial

         2. Section 23 –Private burial register

         3. Section 24 – Private burial: offences

         4. Section 25 – Private burial register: offence

      4. Offences

         1. Section 26 – Burial other than in burial ground: offence

      5. Exhumation

         1. Section 27 – Exhumation of human remains

         2. Section 28 – Exhumation applications: offences

         3. Section 29 – Appeal to sheriff

         4. Section 30 – Exhumation register

         5. Section 31 – Exhumation register: offence

      6. Lair: restoration to use

         1. Section 32 – Restoration to use of lair: consultation

         2. Section 33 – Notification: right-holder

         3. Section 34 – Notification where right-holder cannot be found

         4. Section 35 – Section 34: effect of objection

         5. Section 36 – Extinguishment of right

         6. Section 37 – Restoration to use

         7. Section 38 – Restoration to use without extinguishment of right

         8. Section 39 – Right-holder’s right to object

         9. Section 40 – Restoration to use on request of right-holder

         10. Section 41 – Headstones

         11. Section 42 – Register of restored lairs

         12. Section 43 – Register of restored lairs: offence

         13. Section 44 – Guidance

   2. Part 2 – Cremation

      1. Cremation

         1. Section 45 – Meaning of “cremation” and “ashes”

         2. Section 46 – Provision of crematorium: local authority

         3. Section 47 – Cremation authority: duties

         4. Section 48 – Application for cremation

         5. Section 49 – Section 48: offences

         6. Section 50 – Requirements for carrying out cremation

      2. Handling of ashes

         1. Section 51 – Duty of cremation authority before carrying out cremation

         2. Section 52 – Duty of cremation authority following cremation

         3. Section 53 – Failure to collect ashes

         4. Section 54 – Power of funeral director in relation to ashes

         5. Section 55 – Duties of cremation authority where ashes returned

         6. Section 56 – Handling of ashes: regulations

      3. Register

         1. Section 57 – Cremation register

         2. Section 58 – Cremation register: offence

      4. Crematorium: further requirements

         1. Section 59 – New crematorium: notice

         2. Section 60 – Section 59: offences

         3. Section 61 – Closure of crematorium

         4. Section 62 – Section 61: offence

      5. Fees

         1. Section 63 – Fees for cremation and other services

      6. Code of practice

         1. Section 64 – Cremation authority: code of practice

   3. Part 3 – Arrangements

      1. Adults and children

         1. Section 65 – Arrangements on death of adult

         2. Section 66 – Arrangements on death of child

         3. Section 67 – Arrangements under sections 65 and 66

         4. Section 68 – Sections 65 and 66: application to sheriff

      2. Pregnancy loss after 24 weeks

         1. Section 69 – Arrangements on termination of pregnancy after 24 weeks

         2. Section 70 – Section 69: health body authorised to make arrangements

         3. Section 71 – Section 69: no arrangements

         4. Section 72 – Duty of health body where still-birth likely to occur

         5. Section 73 – Section 72: health body authorised to make arrangements

         6. Section 74 – Arrangements on still-birth

         7. Section 75 – Section 74: power of appropriate health body

         8. Section 76 – Section 74: general power of appropriate health body

      3. Pregnancy loss on or before 24 weeks

         1. Section 77 – Duty of health body where pregnancy loss likely to occur

         2. Section 78 – Section 77: health body authorised to make arrangements

         3. Section 79 – Arrangements on pregnancy loss on or before 24 weeks

         4. Section 80 – Change in arrangements

         5. Section 81 – Individual authorised to make arrangements

         6. Section 82 – Duty to transfer remains

         7. Section 83 – Appropriate health authority authorised to make arrangements

         8. Section 84 – Duty of appropriate health authority

      4. Pregnancy losses: general

         1. Section 85 – Duty to keep a register

         2. Section 86 – Register under section 85: offence

      5. Local authority functions

         1. Section 87 – Burial or cremation: duty of local authority

         2. Section 88 – Expenses of attending funeral

   4. Part 4 – Inspection

      1. Section 89 – Appointment of inspectors

      2. Section 90 – Inspections: regulations

      3. Section 91 – Powers of entry and inspection

      4. Section 92 – Section 91: offences

      5. Section 93 – Reports

   5. Part 5 – Funeral Directors

      1. Section 94 – Funeral directors’ businesses: licensing

      2. Section 95 – Licensing scheme: regulations

      3. Section 96 – Licence for funeral director’s business: offences

      4. Section 97 – Funeral director: code of practice

   6. Part 6 – Miscellaneous

      1. Guidance on funeral costs

         1. Section 98 – Guidance on funeral costs

      2. Powers to modify enactments

         1. Section 99 – Power to extend application of Act

         2. Section 100 – Power to suspend or modify certain enactments

      3. Acquisition of land

         1. Section 101 – Acquisition of land

   7. Part 7 – General

      1. Section 102 – Information and registers to be kept in electronic form

      2. Section 103 – Offences by bodies corporate etc.

      3. Section 104 – Regulations: consultation requirements

      4. Section 105 – Regulations under section 95(1): requirements

      5. Section 106 – Regulations: parliamentary procedure

      6. Section 107 – Interpretation

      7. Section 108 – Ancillary provision

      8. Section 109 – Minor and consequential amendments

      9. Section 110 – Repeals

      10. Section 111 – Crown application

      11. Section 112 – Commencement

      12. Section 113 – Short title

4. Schedules

   1. Schedule 1 – Minor and consequential amendments

   2. Schedule 2 – Repeals

5. Parliamentary History