§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, in their consultation paper on the reform of burial law and policy in the 21st century, the Home Office suggests that an assessment of community needs should be made every 10 years, when the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultation paper of draft planning policy statement 11 (PPS11) says that the regional spatial strategy should provide a broad development strategy for the region of at least a 15-year period; and whether Clause 1 (2) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill will include a provision for burial grounds. [HL1092]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalFor planning purposes, the provision of land for burial is currently considered to be a local, rather than regional, land use issue. The government consultation paper on burial law and policy therefore seeks views on whether the provision of burial grounds should be linked to the local core strategy development plan, outlined in planning policy statement 12: local development frameworks. Such plans should cover a period of at least 10 years.
I understand that, due to the comprehensive nature of Clause 1(2) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill, it will not require a separate provision for burial grounds.