Poll: Is the Church of England right to get involved in the HS2 debate?
The Church of England has joined opponents of the Government's HS2 proposals, warning that current plans for constructing the line mean human remains will not be treated "in a decent and reverent manner".
The Archbishops' Council, which is led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, says there must be changes to give greater protection to remains which have to be exhumed along the route.
In a "humble petition" to the House of Commons, the Council says that works authorised by the Bill to bring in the project will involve the destruction of three burial grounds consecrated for the burial of the dead in accordance with the rites of the Church of England and the removal of human remains and monuments from them.
Provisions in the Bill do not do enough to ensure that during and after the removal of remains they are treated in a decent and reverent manner or that they are subsequently reinterred in consecrated land, the petition says.
Nor do the provisions make adequate provision to ensure that any monuments that are removed are disposed of in a suitable manner, it adds.
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For the full story, see Church joins in the battle against HS2.
