HC Deb 03 November 1997 vol 300 cc30-1W
Mr. Viggers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action to ensure the proper preservation of war memorials in circumstances where the church or other building in which they are located is destroyed or converted to other use. [13692]

Mr. George Howarth

Provision for the preservation or recording of memorials to the dead is contained in existing legislation concerning the development of burial grounds.

Under the Pastoral Measure 1983, if a disused Church of England church and churchyard is made the subject of a redundancy scheme, there is a requirement to give notice of the manner in which memorials are proposed to be disposed of and to offer relatives or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission the opportunity to make separate arrangements.

Where the memorials are removed, details, including a copy of the inscription and the date and manner of disposal, are to be lodged with the local council and copied to the Registrar General.