11 November 2008
Maintaining cemeteries where Commonwealth soldiers are buried is an important part of our heritage, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said today.
On a visit to a number of cemeteries in Lewisham with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Director General Richard Kellaway, Ms Prentice said the war cemeteries were a visible reminder of the sacrifices made and part of a cultural heritage that transcended borders.
Ms Prentice paid tribute to the important work carried out by the CWGC to maintain the 1.7 million graves and war memorials worldwide, including 300,000 in the UK.
Ms Prentice said:
'Keeping the war graves in good order and well maintained is a huge but important task, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission should be rightly proud of the work they do.
'Across the country today, there are commemorations honouring those who gave their lives, and the ones buried in Lewisham are an important part of this commemoration.'
Richard Kellaway said:
'On the day when we remember all those who gave their lives for our country in war, I am very grateful to the minister for this opportunity to discuss with her the practical steps we are taking and must continue to take to combat the challenges the commission faces at many burial grounds in the UK.
'Working together we will overcome these challenges and ensure that the war graves continue to be maintained to a standard befitting the sacrifice of those who died during the two world wars.'
Notes to editors
1. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for burial law and policy. The department does not however have any operational responsibility for burial, including the maintenance of graves and memorials.
2. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for the maintenance of 1.7 million graves and memorials worldwide (including 300,000 in the UK, of which 180,000 are graves in around 12,000 burial grounds). The status of the commission is specially recognised in burial legislation, granting the commission certain dispensations and rights in relation to war graves.
3. The costs of the commission's work are shared by the partner governments, i.e. Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and United Kingdom, with practical assistance and support given by 149 other member countries. About £40 million is spent by the commission worldwide. The UK is by far the biggest contributor (nearly 80%).
4. For more information, please contact Ministry of Justice Press Office on 020 3334 3536.