P2-71 Response Under Consideration

New Chief Inspector regulatory regime for deceased

Recommendation

The UK government should establish an independent statutory regulatory regime, headed by a Chief Inspector, for those who store and care for deceased people. The purpose of the regulatory regime should be to ensure that the security and dignity of deceased people are protected, in whichever institutions or locations they are cared for, examined or stored. The government should ensure that this role is adequately resourced to discharge its responsibilities and should provide it with powers to require information and enter premises and to take appropriate enforcement action (including against office holders in any organisation). Either the Human Tissue Authority should be required to work under the auspices of this new regime, or its remit should be formally expanded to comply with the statutory regime's requirements.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
The UK government is currently considering the establishment of an independent statutory regulatory regime for those who store and care for deceased people. An interim progress update from December 2025 states that a full response to the Fuller Inquiry phase 2 report is expected by summer 2026.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 24 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, questions-statements.parliament.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
Jurisdiction
England
Response
Under Consideration
Under Consideration Department of Health and Social Care
01 Dec 2025

This recommendation is under consideration.

Progress Timeline
Official Report
01 Dec 2025

Under consideration. The government will continue to work on its response to the recommendations and provide a full response to the Fuller inquiry phase 2 report by summer 2026. (Source: Interim update on government progress in responding to the Fuller inquiry phase 2 report, December 2025)

Source
Report Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 Report 15 Jul 2025
Responsible Bodies
Department of Health and Social Care Primary
Recommendation age 0.7 yr
Last formal update 01 Dec 2025