§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those local authorities that have purchased and closed cemeteries that have not been used for a considerable period within recent years, with a view to deconsecrating the ground to make it available for either recreational or building purposes;
(2) if he will list which local authorities, and on what occasions, have purchased and closed within recent years cemeteries which are still taking burials in reserved family graves or vaults, with a view to deconsecrating the ground to make it available for recreational or building purposes;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report the main cemeteries in each of the 10 major cities of Great Britain, including Sheffield, indicating the number of grave sites and vaults that have been used or taken up, and the number available for future use; and if he will express this last figure for each city in terms of per capita of population.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThis information is not available.
§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given local authorities in recent years about the provision and closure of crematoria and cemeteries; what regulations he has issued; and whether he has been able to give any specific advice to the Sheffield City Council.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettLocal authorities have discretion to provide and close their own crematoria and cemeteries. Apart from the Local Authorities' Cemeteries Order 1977 (SI 1977, No. 204), which provided for the management and maintenance of cemeteries, no regulations have been made. Nor has guidance been issued by my Department about these matters in recent years. No specific advice has been given to the Sheffield City Council in this regard.