Office of Sir John Hayes MP
Houses of Parliament
London
SW1A 0AA
The Rt Hon. Sajid Javid MP
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
29 July 2021
Dear Sajid,
Seeking urgent reassurance that funerals will not be included in the vaccine passport scheme
I am writing to you in my capacity as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Funerals and Bereavement. There is a degree of uncertainty that is causing confusion in the sector, and I am therefore writing to request clarification on the government’s position on vaccine passports/certification and how ‘mass gatherings’ will be defined.
In recent months, restrictions have been placed on the funeral and death care sector, limiting the number of mourners allowed to attend services. Now these restrictions have been lifted, it would be a shame to see the industry’s recent hard work to lift the limit on mourners nullified by the currently unclear guidance on ‘mass gatherings’. We are therefore seeking reassurance that funerals are exempt from the proposed vaccine passport scheme and will not be classified as mass gatherings.
This call has been joined by the APPG’s associate members, the Deceased Management Advisory Group (DMAG). DMAG is the voice of the sector as a whole, and is represented by the national trade bodies and associations for funeral services, cremations and burials, as well as funeral suppliers.
I would be grateful if you could please provide reassurance that funerals will not be included in any plans for vaccine certification, recognising the unique and vital nature of funerals. I would be grateful to provide further detail should you require.
Yours sincerely,
Sir John Hayes MP