That this House notes that approximately 5,000 infants and children pass away each year in the UK; further notes that the cost of children's funerals imposes a significant and unexpected financial burden on bereaved parents; recognises that some local authorities, as well as religious officiants and undertakers, currently waive all or a proportion of the fees associated with children's funerals; further recognises that many individuals, community groups and schools undertake fundraising to cover such funeral costs; acknowledges that the total annual cost of fees associated with children's funerals is £10 million; and calls on the Government to establish a specific fund, from which local authorities can draw, to pay the costs associated with children's funerals.

That this House notes that approximately 5,000 infants and children pass away each year in the UK; further notes that the cost of children's funerals imposes a significant and unexpected financial burden on bereaved parents; recognises that some local authorities, as well as religious officiants and undertakers, currently waive all...

That this House notes the recent campaign by Marie McCourt, whose daughter Helen was murdered in 1988 and whose body has never been found, for the law to be changed to prevent convicted murderers who refuse to disclose the location of their victims' bodies from being released on parole; further notes that proper burial can help to provide closure for victims' families and help to ease their suffering; believes that it is right for the law to be changed to ensure that deliberately prolonging the suffering of victims' families by preventing a burial counts against murderers who apply for parole; notes that more than 330,000 people have supported Marie's campaign; notes that as a result of this campaign the Prisons Minister asked the Parole Board to review its guidelines on such cases; is concerned that this review still has not been completed; is further concerned that the Minister for Criminal Justice and Victims assured Marie that he would discuss this issue with the Justice Secretary and respond to her, but that more than two months later she has not received a reply; and urges the Ministry of Justice to respond to Marie as soon as possible and consider whether to change the law to strengthen provisions to ensure that refusal to reveal the location of remains is fully taken into account when deciding on parole for convicted murderers.

That this House notes the recent campaign by Marie McCourt, whose daughter Helen was murdered in 1988 and whose body has never been found, for the law to be changed to prevent convicted murderers who refuse to disclose the location of their victims' bodies from being released on parole; further...

That this House notes with concern that value added tax is applicable to the erection and maintenance of memorials to the deceased; considers this to be an unnecessary and insensitive tax on the bereaved and those who wish to honour the memory of loved ones; observes that a tax refund for charities and faith groups for the erection of memorials has been in place for some years now in the form of the Memorial Grant Scheme; calls on the Government to extend the scheme to all memorials; and urges the Government to raise at European level the possibility of abolishing such taxes altogether.

That this House notes with concern that value added tax is applicable to the erection and maintenance of memorials to the deceased; considers this to be an unnecessary and insensitive tax on the bereaved and those who wish to honour the memory of loved ones; observes that a tax refund...

That this House is delighted that the burial ceremony of Richard III will begin on 22 March 2015, ending with his remains being re-interred on 26 March 2015 in Leicester Cathedral; believes that this event unites the Protestant and Catholic communities of the UK, as his re-interment will be led by both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster; thanks the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, for such incredible work in making these events possible; and notes that this will be a historic day for Leicester, and highlight the rich cultural history of the city.

That this House is delighted that the burial ceremony of Richard III will begin on 22 March 2015, ending with his remains being re-interred on 26 March 2015 in Leicester Cathedral; believes that this event unites the Protestant and Catholic communities of the UK, as his re-interment will be led...

That this House notes the joint press release of 4 September 2014 from three United Nations special rapporteurs calling on the Iranian government to bring an immediate halt to the destruction of a Baha'i cemetery in the city of Shiraz; believes that the desecration of Baha’i graves constitutes an unacceptable violation of freedom of religion; and urges the Government to intercede with Iranian officials and press them to take immediate action to effect a full cessation of the demolition of this Baha'i cemetery.

That this House notes the joint press release of 4 September 2014 from three United Nations special rapporteurs calling on the Iranian government to bring an immediate halt to the destruction of a Baha'i cemetery in the city of Shiraz; believes that the desecration of Baha’i graves constitutes an unacceptable...

That this House is aware of the sterling work done by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; notes that the recent inclement weather has had a devastating effect on Britain's communities with many areas damaged by severe flooding and high winds; reminds Ministers that 2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War and 75 years since the beginning of the Second World War, which has already placed major burdens on this organisation and its task to look after the many graves in its care throughout both the UK and other parts of the Commonwealth; and requests that the Government responds urgently and positively to this body's needs which are likely to be immense considering the weather damage done.

That this House is aware of the sterling work done by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; notes that the recent inclement weather has had a devastating effect on Britain's communities with many areas damaged by severe flooding and high winds; reminds Ministers that 2014 marks the centenary of the start...

That this House welcomes the bid to reinter Richard III's remains in Leicester; notes that the former King's remains have remained buried in Leicester for over 500 years; recognises the essential role that the University of Leicester's archaeologists have played in uncovering his burial site; believes that it is only right and dignified that the remains remain in their resting place and not be transported to another place; hopes that the remains be buried in Leicester permanently; acknowledges that the Battle of Bosworth and this historical tale is another fantastic aspect to Leicester's cultural heritage; and calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to give the city the deserving title of City of Culture 2017.

That this House welcomes the bid to reinter Richard III's remains in Leicester; notes that the former King's remains have remained buried in Leicester for over 500 years; recognises the essential role that the University of Leicester's archaeologists have played in uncovering his burial site; believes that it is only...

That this House congratulates the excellent work of the University of Leicester in establishing beyond reasonable doubt that the remains discovered under a car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III; recognises that the discovery is testament to the world-class team at the university; and welcomes that the discovery will place Leicester firmly on the map as a centre for historical research and archaeology.

That this House congratulates the excellent work of the University of Leicester in establishing beyond reasonable doubt that the remains discovered under a car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III; recognises that the discovery is testament to the world-class team at the university; and welcomes that the...

That this House notes the recent discovery of a mass grave in Lapithos containing remains identified as those of Fivos Christofi from Aglantzia, Kostas Kapsokaritis from Tseri and Michalakis Anastasiou from Famagusta, who will be remembered at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the Organisation of Relatives of Missing Cypriots (UK); welcomes all such discoveries which are being made by exhumation teams of both sides of the buffer zone in Cyprus; recognises the generosity of those countries, agencies and individuals who have donated finance, technical support and forensic expertise to locating, exhuming and identifying the remains of those missing since the invasion of Cyprus in 1974; is conscious however that to date no more than 10 per cent. of the missing have been located; recalls the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that Turkey is in violation of articles 2, 3 and 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights through its failure to collect, record and disclose information about those known and seen to be alive after their capture in 1974; sympathises with the missing persons' relatives who in the words of this judgment must have suffered most painful uncertainty and anxiety and whose mental anguish has not vanished with the passing of time; and calls on the Government to exert all possible influence on Turkey to comply with the ECHR judgment and to assist and co-operate in tracing and identifying the remains of the missing, thus permitting relatives to have closure to their grief and bereavement.

That this House notes the recent discovery of a mass grave in Lapithos containing remains identified as those of Fivos Christofi from Aglantzia, Kostas Kapsokaritis from Tseri and Michalakis Anastasiou from Famagusta, who will be remembered at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the Organisation of Relatives of Missing Cypriots...

That this House notes with concern that value added tax is applicable to the erection and maintenance of memorials to the deceased; considers this to be an unnecessary and insensitive tax on the bereaved and those who wish to honour the memory of loved ones; observes that a tax refund for charities and faith groups for the erection of memorials has been in place for some years now in the form of the Memorial Grant Scheme; calls on the Government to extend the scheme to all memorials; and urges the Government to raise at European level the possibility of abolishing such taxes altogether.

That this House notes with concern that value added tax is applicable to the erection and maintenance of memorials to the deceased; considers this to be an unnecessary and insensitive tax on the bereaved and those who wish to honour the memory of loved ones; observes that a tax refund...