The Government believes there is a need to overhaul all aspects of burial law, including memorial safety and enforcement and the re-use of graves. It intends to publish a consultation document on the subject before the end of the year.

That it is one of the points to emerge from the Government response to a Select Committee report on cemeteries published earlier this year.

The National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) had become agitated last year when they discovered through unofficial channels that the Institute for Burial & Cremation Administration (IBCA) was discussing with what was then the Department of the Environment, Transport & the Regions (DETR) the right for local authorities to sell memorials and other funeral services directly to the public, something which NAMM has set up a fighting fund to oppose.

Letters from NAMM to the DETR were not even acknowledged until Members of Parliament agreed to intervene on behalf of individual NAMM members.

NAMM\'s fears seem to have been justified. In its submission to the Select Committee, IBCA said: . . . because of local authority trading limitations, introducing services of this nature is extremely difficult. Restrictions of this nature severely limit innovation and choice, prevent the development of real competition and prevent cemeteries obtaining new income to maintain their fabric.

Both NAMM\'s President at the time, Andrew Hawley, and his subsequent successor, Mike Critchley, gave evidence to the Select Committee. NAMM have always maintained (and the law is on their side) that local authorities have no right to compete with legitimate local businesses.

The Select Committee made 41 recommendations to Government about the use, re-use and conservation of cemeteries, both for the bereaved and as local amenities. The Government has answered each individually in a 16-page document (ISBN 0-10-152812-4) available at £4.50 from the addres below.

In the document, the Government says that as well as consulting on legislation, it has decided to set up an advisory group to provide advice and guidance on cemeteries and their management. It also intends to undertake a survey of burial grounds and to carry out research into the management of them.

Nick Wilson said Wellington Arch gave Stonewest the hat-trick as they had previously worked on the restoration of Admiralty Arch and Marble Arch.

He spoke about the cleaning of Wellington Arch, so thick with pigeon droppings that removing it was like breaking away wattle and daub. Cleaning the stone included using poultices on copper and iron sulphate stains and the Jos and Doff systems.

Wilson spoke about the carving work carried out on site, including a new capital cut from a 1.25 tonne piece of Portland limestone that took carver Dave Baker eight weeks to fashion. There were also 22 new lion head masks required as well as many other embellishments.

Repointing was required and the specification originally called for the use of hacksaw blades and no angle grinders. Complete nonsense, in my opinion, said Wilson. Angle grinders were used after Stonewest operatives were able to demonstarte to English Heritage that there would be no damage to the stonework, even though the joints were just 3mm and the mortar had to be removed to a depth of 25mm.

It had originally been intended to remove the whole of the east and west entablatures, but Stonewest demonstrated that this would not be necessary in order to carry out repairs required.

A novel solution was found to the structural repair of a column by cutting out stone and fitting inserts. (For more details of the restoration of Wellington Arch see NSS December 2000).

The main presentations were augmented by Peter Harrison, President of Stone Federation Great Britain, talking about European standards being introduced for the identification, testing and use of stone - 21 test methods are expected to be published in the next two years - and Graham Lott of the British Geological Survey talking about the Survey\'s new map showing the sites of 2,000 active and historical quarries.