Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues

Tuesday 20th October 2026 Lords Chamber

Question

14:37

Asked by

[Lord Wills]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made with the Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues in fulfilling the remit of that role; and what plans they have to deliver on every part of that remit by the end of 2026.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Winterton of Doncaster) (Lab)]

Since his appointment in February, the UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues has undertaken a range of international engagements to progress work on Holocaust remembrance and education, restitution and tackling antisemitism. The envoy regularly meets international counterparts and domestic stakeholders to discuss practical areas for co-operation on these issues. He reports to the Minister for Human Rights on progress, as outlined in his terms of reference.

[Lord Wills (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Does she share my view about the urgent need to tackle the poison of antisemitism that is once again seeping into our public life? Does she share my view about the importance of the role that our Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues has to play in that? In that context, what discussions has the envoy had with international partners about advancing outstanding Holocaust-era restitution claims across Europe and other ways of recognising victims of the Holocaust, such as Stolpersteine? What progress has been made with Poland in particular?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for his question. He is absolutely right. We have a shared responsibility to tackle the abhorrent rise in antisemitism. Recognising the Holocaust is a crucial part of this, which the envoy continues to work on. In September, the envoy attended the post-Holocaust issues special envoys network meeting on movable restitution, where participants agreed to focus on fixed private property restitution. At last week’s Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism meeting in Dublin, the envoy agreed a co-ordinated approach to Holocaust-era restitution in Poland with his US counterpart. He also raised the issue with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Warsaw. The Stolpersteine initiative to which my noble friend referred is excellent. We are supporting communities in Guernsey to lay Stolpersteine outside the homes of residents who resisted the Nazi occupation.

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, while we are on the subject of antisemitism, is the Minister aware that Parliament has been discussing Israel more than any other issue—not just international issues such as Yemen or Sudan, but even domestic issues such as the cost of living, the NHS and immigration? Does she share my concern that this obsessive focus on the world’s only Jewish state is bound to drive hostility towards people who are identified with it, which is the vast majority of Jewish people in the UK? I think Parliament and the media are playing a large part in the explosion of antisemitism that we are seeing here in Britain.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an important point about the role of the media and Parliament in discussing these issues. However, I feel that, as a Parliament, we have to back the work of the special envoys, for example, so that we are supporting that work and endorsing the actions that are taken.

[Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD)]

My Lords, given that the envoy’s remit includes securing progress on Holocaust-era property and art restitution, where survivors and their families have waited decades for justice, will the Government commit to publishing a clear assessment of progress against every objective, identifying which countries have been pressed to act, what tangible progress has been achieved—not just meetings—and what remains outstanding? How will they ensure that the deadline of the end of 2026 produces measurable progress on restitution rather than simply a record of meetings?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question. The special envoy reports to the Minister for Human Rights, and we have answered a number of questions about the extensive work that he has undertaken. I might suggest, because I know the special envoy is certainly willing to do this, that he briefs Peers on the work that has been undertaken so far and on future work that is being planned. I hope that might be helpful to Peers, because I know there is a lot of interest in this and it is right that we draw attention to the work that the special envoy has done.

[Lord Pickles (Con)]

My Lords, for 10 years I was the Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues. I commend to the House the work of my successor, Jon Pearce, who has done a remarkable job. However, the noble Lord hits the nail on the head: there is no restitution in Poland that is recognised. That is not an accident; it is a deliberate policy of its Government. I ask the Minister for another attempt at the highest level of government between ourselves, the United States and the European community to press upon Poland the need for action, because this remains a stain on that great nation’s reputation.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question and for the work that he did as special envoy. I wonder if it might be helpful if he came along to the briefing as well, because it is important to show the continuity between the work that he did and the work that Jon Pearce is doing as the current special envoy. The noble Lord makes an important point. I emphasise again that the special envoy recently agreed a co-ordinated approach to Holocaust-era restitution in Poland with his US counterpart. He also raised the issue directly with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Warsaw. With international partners—it is important that that is how we do this—we continue to press Poland to confront this historic injustice and deliver a fair, comprehensive and final settlement of outstanding restitution claims.

[Baroness Deech (CB)]

My Lords, Poland has been an outlier in this for many decades. One feels that it is waiting for everyone to die so it can avoid making restitution. I encourage the Minister to take this issue to the Council of Europe, which is the best forum for this. It should be proposed to Poland that it allow litigation outside Poland, provide access to relevant records, establish a central fund as other countries have done to pay at least partial compensation and preserve the memory of the dispossessed by placing Stolpersteine outside their former homes. It has so far refused to do this, in an attempt to obliterate the memory, as I have seen there for myself.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her question and her long-standing campaigning on this issue. I know how deeply she feels about it. The special envoy has already been looking at some of the issues she has raised, but I will have further discussions with him about her point on the Council of Europe. Obviously, there are parliamentary delegations to that, so she may wish to raise it with representatives from this House who are on the Council of Europe too.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, building on the point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, and my noble friend Lord Pickles, many Jewish families have not been reunited with their property looted by the Nazis and the special envoy, as has been said, has a responsibility to support restitution. Could the Minister say what estimate the Government have made of the number of British families who have not been reunited with property stolen by the Nazis and when the special envoy last met the independent Spoliation Advisory Panel?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I do not have the figure on the number of British families to hand, but I will certainly see what I can find out and write to the noble Lord. I did not quite hear the body that he named, but I will ensure that the special envoy is aware of the point he has raised and, if it would be helpful, arrange a briefing for him with regard to that international body.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, as my noble friend knows, I have the honour of being one of the representatives of this Parliament to the Council of Europe. I assure the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, that we will make sure that this is taken up. On another matter, will the Minister ask the envoy to look into the revelations in the ITV documentary shown on Sunday night about some of the antisemitic and other racist remarks made by members of Reform UK and consider what action might be necessary?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for his offer with regard to the Council of Europe, of which he is a distinguished member. I am confident he will discuss with the noble Baroness what action may be taken. I will certainly ensure that the special envoy is aware of the programme to which he referred and see whether there is any action that needs to be taken in that area.