Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the accountability of parish councils and their administration of burial plots.

There has been no such recent assessment of the accountability of parish councils and their administration of burial plots. The underlying statutory duties for local (burial) authorities are outlined in the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977. The associated guidance is overseen by the Ministry for Justice and is available at:

www.justice.govuk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/burial-ground-managers.pdf