General Cemetery Bill passes Committee stage
Posted: 17th June 2025
The General Cemetery Bill was considered by an Unopposed Bills Committee of the House of Lords on 17 June 2025. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Lords' view was that the Bill should proceed to third reading, subject to the various amendments and undertakings which had been agreed with interested parties, including the Ministry of Justice, Historic England, local authorities and the Friends.
Several, possibly the majority, of the Lords' concerns related to the implementation and financial benefits of the Bill's provisions regarding grave re-use, rather than the legislative provisions themselves. It's clear that, although a great deal of progress has been made in the last six months, much remains to be resolved and quantified during the preparation of a business plan and conservation management plan for the Cemetery.