§ MR. SIDEBOTHAM (Cheshire, Hyde)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of a Debate on the Burial Laws in the Upper House of the Convocation of the Province of York, and to the fact that a Resolution expressing the opinion that the recent Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on the Burial Laws affords a satisfactory basis of legislation for the consolidation and revision of the existing Laws of Burial, was moved by the Bishop of Newcastle, seconded and supported by the Bishops of Durham and Chester, and unanimously adopted; and whether he can now state if he hopes to introduce a Burials Bill during the present Session?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY, Lancs., Blackpool)Yes; I have read with much interest a Report of the Debate to which my honourable Friend refers. A Burials Bill is now practically ready, and I can only repeat the hope, which I have already expressed, that I may have an opportunity of introducing it during the present Session. In the present state of public business, however, I am obliged to say that I am not able to make any promise in the matter.