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Burial and Cremation
Hugh Henry (Labour) | Question S3W-40557
To ask the Scottish Executive what flexibility exists in determining the number of burials that can be carried out in family graves.
Shona Robison (Scottish National Party)
The majority of burial grounds in Scotland are publicly managed. The legislation applicable to such burial grounds is the Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1855; that act provides that the general management, regulation and control of burial grounds vests in local authorities. The act does not specify a particular number of burials that can be carried out in a grave. Flexibility on this issue will depend on the circumstances applying in individuals cases, such as the availability of land or existing lair space, and is a matter for the local authority.