Memorials (Safety)

Mrs. Dean
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 580W, on Memorials (safety), when guidance will be issued to local authorities about the safety-testing of non-monolithic memorials without ground anchor fixing; and if he will list the organisations from which he has taken evidence. [118579]

Paul Goggins
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn) on 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 579W. We are aiming to issue appropriate guidance on memorial safety to local burial authorities by the end of the year. The issues are being considered by a working group consisting of the following organisations: Association of Burial AuthoritiesConfederation of Burial AuthoritiesCruse Bereavement CareEnglish HeritageFederation of British Cremation AuthoritiesHealth and Safety ExecutiveInstitute of Burial and Cremation AdministrationLocal Government AssociationMuslim Council of Great Britain/Muslim Burial Council of LeicestershireNational Association of Local CouncilsNational Association of Memorial Masons (Chair)Society of Local Council Clerks