Alan Strickland

The management of a churchyard that is legally open for further burials is the responsibility of the local Parochial Church Council. However the situation at Quarrington Hill Churchyard is complicated by it being situated on land subject to ongoing subsidence due to centuries of mine-works beneath the surface.

The parish church of St Paul, which originally sat within the churchyard, was demolished in 1993 due to this subsidence. This makes the management and safety of the site complicated, and a great challenge for the small local charity funded exclusively by the personal giving of a dedicated but small congregation.

The Parochial Church Council sought the closure of the churchyard by an Order in Council. This would have allowed the management of the churchyard to pass to the Local Authority, which has more resources available for a challenge of this nature. The application was refused, pending a more detailed geophysical survey to determine the safety or otherwise of further burials. I understand however that the costs of such a survey are themselves beyond the means of the Parochial Church Council.

The churchyard is open to visitors, following work to make access safe, but the long-term management of the War Graves and other family memorials will require significant resourcing.

The Acting Bishop of Durham is due to contact the Member for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor about the future management and maintenance of the Commonwealth War Graves and the churchyard and will be able to advise him further.

This Government recognises there is still a significant need for improved grassroots facilities across the UK, which is why we confirmed our continued support at Autumn Budget.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots facilities, which is why we have invested £123 million into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme this year.

Across the UK, our approach is that investment should be targeted in order to meet local demand. In England, our delivery partner the Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline in partnership with local authorities, and are revising those plans at present.

In chairing the UN Security Council on 18 November, the Foreign Secretary made clear that UK support for Ukraine is ironclad. We have stepped up the delivery of vital military equipment, led the way in investing in Ukraine’s defence industrial base, and imposed major new sanctions upon Russia. As the Prime Minister has said, we must double down and give Ukraine the support it needs for as long as it needs.