MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is aware that the Ulverston Burial Board and the Burial Board of Toddington, Bedfordshire, exact in the unconsecrated parts of their cemeteries the same fees as are payable to the parochial incumbents in the consecrated portions; (2) whether their tables of fees and charges have received the sanction of the Home Office; (3) whether steps will be taken to obtain the abandonment of these charges; (4) whether any, and what, action has been taken with regard to a similar table of fees adopted by the Hounslow Burial Board; and (5) whether, in view of these and other cases of the like kind, he will call the attention of Burial Boards to the provisions of the law in regard to such charges, and require an alteration of all tables of fees and charges which are not in conformity therewith?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.(1) The tables of both Burial Boards contain the fees mentioned in the question, but in the case of Ulverston the clerk informs me that in respect of burials in unconsecrated ground they are not "exacted," but that it is carefully explained that they are voluntary payments. (2) The Toddington Table has not been sanctioned by 983 the Home Officer, nor has the Ulverston Table so far as regards the fees mentioned in the question. (3) I will communicate at once with both Burial Boards with a view to the amendment of the tables. The Clerk to the Ulverston Board assures me that his Board will comply with the law at once. (4) I communicated with the Hounslow Burial Board and obtained an amendment of the table which makes it quite clear that the fees to incumbents and "officiating ministers" are payable only when the burial is in consecrated ground. (5) If my attention is called to any other case where the tables of fees are not in accordance with the law, I will ask the Burial Boards to alter them. I have no power to compel them to do so, but I have no doubt they will be ready to comply with the law when their attention is called to its provisions.