Unmarked communal graves for stillborn babies
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Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this cross-party letter initiated by Sarah Gibson MP.
Dear Secretary of State,
Unmarked communal graves for stillborn babies
We, the undersigned Members of Parliament from across the House, write to express our deep concern at the revelation that an estimated 89,000 stillborn babies were buried in unmarked communal graves across the United Kingdom up until the late 1980s. In many cases, bereaved parents were neither informed of their child’s burial location nor given the opportunity to participate in or consent to the arrangements.
This has caused lasting distress to families who were denied the chance to grieve, commemorate their loss, or visit a place of remembrance. Since the Baby Loss Debate on 13 October 2025, it has become even clearer that this historic practice has affected families in every part of the country. You have previously agreed to meet with these families, and we would urge you to honour that promise without delay.
This historic practice represents a failure to treat stillbirth with the dignity and compassion it deserves. The Government should now ensure that all available burial records are preserved and made accessible to bereaved families, in order to help them trace their children’s resting places wherever possible. It should also promote national recognition of the impact this practice has had on parents and communities, and make it easier for families and local authorities to mark and memorialise the sites of historic communal graves.
We believe this issue transcends party politics and speaks to our shared values of compassion, respect and humanity. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this cross-party letter initiated by Sarah Gibson MP.
