68 and 69. Mr. ATHOLL ROBERTSONasked the Minister of Health (1) what are the conditions he has laid down in sanctioning a burial ground for the East End Hebrew community just off the Great North Road in the Finchley area; and if the traffic congestion caused by so many funerals proceeding along the Great North Road to the many cemeteries there already was considered at the inquiry;
(2) if he is aware of the unanimous disapproval of the residents in the Finchley area to the proposed provision of a Hebrew cemetery in that area; that Finchley already has three cemeteries within its borders, namely, those of St. Pancras, Islington, and Marylebone, containing a total area of 214 acres; that the residential population is 50,000; that these cemeteries are most prejudicial to the development of the area; that this new proposal of a Hebrew cemetery for the East End will still further hamper housing and other developments; and will he give due weight to all the local objections before he finally approves the application?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI can assure the hon. Member that all the facts in this case and all the objections were carefully considered before the case was decided. I will send the hon. Member a copy of the letter setting out the conditions subject to which approval was given.
Mr. ROBERTSONIs it not the fact I that the district is unanimously opposed to the extension of cemeteries in the area, and what can we do to protect ourselves against such a decision contrary to the public opinion of the district?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am afraid I cannot give a general recipe which would result in cemeteries being unnecessary.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEMay I ask whether the letter that was sent by the right hon. Gentleman—and of which he has been good enough to send me a copy—did not put the matter largely on questions of health; yet why was it that he has allowed part of the land to be used which obviously could be equally healthfully used, and another part not used which obviously—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear!"]
§ Mr. SPEAKERI should like to see that question in print.
Mr. ROBERTSONOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I shall ask the permission of the House to raise this matter on the Adjournment to-morrow evening.