NEW regulations aimed at funeral directors will enhance trust in the industry and benefit bereaved families, a conference will be told.

Three-quarters of funeral directors have backed the introduction of regulation as a way of ensuring the highest standards in the profession, while 95 per cent have said the existing professional standards codes should be used by Government as a starting point for regulation.

At a conference this weekend, funeral directors from across Scotland will hear that industry regulation will help bereaved families by ensuring they are offered the highest standards of care at all times.

Mandie Lavin, chief executive of the National Association of Funeral Directors – which has organised the conference – will tell delegates that “public trust and confidence” in funeral directors will “only be enhanced by getting the standards agenda right”.

She will say: “Standards make sense for families, the profession and for the public. The public trust and confidence in the work of funeral directors will only be enhanced by getting the standards agenda right.”

The one-day conference, in Stirling on Saturday, will feature key speakers from the profession and the Scottish Government. It will discuss the possible impact of regulations and also that of a new Inspector of Funeral Directors, both of which are being introduced under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.