PROTECTION OF CEMETERIES

Early day motion 639, tabled 26 July 2010 by John McDonnell (Labour). Signed by 20 members.

That this House recalls the distress caused to many families at the proposal by BAA as part of its plans for a third runway at Heathrow to drive a road through Cherry Lane cemetery; notes the families' concern at the lack of legislative protection against this type of development; acknowledges that this results from a glaring contradiction in the Government's policy towards cemeteries and the issue of exhumation in which exhumations are required to be undertaken in a sensitive, cautious, respectful and caring manner, to be subject to local consultation and, if objected to, to be abandoned, whilst using all methods of notification to next-of-kin and the community; further notes that in cases of major developments affecting cemeteries, exemplified by the Cherry Lane case, a bulldozer approach is taken, allowing for the overriding of objections and the ignoring of the right to be consulted; and therefore calls on the Government to undertake a swift review of the current law in relation to the protection of cemeteries with a view to bringing forward legislation that affords cemeteries suitable protection and avoids others undergoing the distress experienced by the Cherry Lane cemetery relatives.

Signatures by party: Labour 11, Liberal Democrat 5, DUP 2, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1.