Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2014, Official Report, column 613W, on war graves, what further progress has been made on discussions with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the transer of graves maintained by the Ministry of Defence to that Commissioner.

Discussions between Ministry Of Defence (MOD) and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) are continuing regarding the transfer of maintenance responsibility for the graves of military personnel buried in the UK since 1945. Furthermore, during the most recent discussions the CWGC has indicated a willingness to take over the maintenance work.

The MOD is now in the process of compiling specific information to assist a detailed analysis by the CWGC and we are striving to reach a conclusion at the earliest possibility.