What is the government doing about reuse of graves?
In 2004, the Home Office issued a consultation document on possible changes to burial law. The public was invited to respond to suggested changes in Burial Law and Policy in the 21 st Century: The Need for a Sensitive and Sustainable Approach. The changes introduced the possible reuse of graves. It should be noted that in June 2005, the Home Office Coroners Unit, which had responsibility for burial matters was transferred to the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Ms Harriet Harman, the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs stated in November 2005 the intention to public a summary of responses to the consultation exercise, and indicated the intention to ‘consider sympathetically the case for enabling the re-use of old burial grounds, seeking a balance between the interests of relatives and descendents and the wider needs of the local community.’ On 27 th February 2007, Ms Harman – in responding to a Commons question – stated that the DCA was moving forward ‘innova
