Lord Boateng

The government has not made an assessment, and has not raised the return of contested sacred objects with British Museum trustees.

The British Museum operates independently of the government. Decisions relating to the care and management of its collections, including the Ethiopian tabots, are a matter for its trustees.

The British Museum has a longstanding and cordial relationship with senior members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, both in Ethiopia and in London. The museum recognises the significance of the tabots and has held meaningful talks with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on this issue. The tabots are housed in a special location in the museum which is maintained in consultation with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and overseen by a committed curatorial and conservation team. The tabots are available to be visited by Ethiopian Orthodox priests and prelates which is reflective of Church practices.

The museum’s stated ambition is to lend the tabots to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the UK where they can be cared for by the clergy within their traditions.

The government has not made an assessment, and has not raised the return of contested sacred objects with British Museum trustees.

The British Museum operates independently of the government. Decisions relating to the care and management of its collections, including the Ethiopian tabots, are a matter for its trustees.

The British Museum has a longstanding and cordial relationship with senior members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, both in Ethiopia and in London. The museum recognises the significance of the tabots and has held meaningful talks with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on this issue. The tabots are housed in a special location in the museum which is maintained in consultation with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and overseen by a committed curatorial and conservation team. The tabots are available to be visited by Ethiopian Orthodox priests and prelates which is reflective of Church practices.

The museum’s stated ambition is to lend the tabots to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the UK where they can be cared for by the clergy within their traditions.

Museums which have public collections are independent of government and decisions related to their collections are for their trustees to make.

The Human Tissue Act 2004 allows national museums to remove human remains from their collections provided that they are reasonably believed to be remains of a person who died less than 1,000 years before the day the relevant section came into force.

DCMS issued Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums in 2005 which encouraged museums to establish an advisory framework to assist in determining repatriation claims and provided a set of criteria which need to be taken into account in assessing claims.

A number of museums have returned human remains over the last few years, including the Pitt Rivers museum to Aboriginal communities in Australia, the Natural History Museum to the Moriori community in New Zealand, and the National Army Museum returning locks of hair of Emperor Tewodros II to Ethiopia.

It is for businesses and auction rooms to decide whether to prohibit sales of human remains, taking into account the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004. Those who sell or purchase human remains may also be subject to their own professional standards and codes of conduct.

Museums which have public collections are independent of government and decisions related to their collections are for their trustees to make.

The Human Tissue Act 2004 allows national museums to remove human remains from their collections provided that they are reasonably believed to be remains of a person who died less than 1,000 years before the day the relevant section came into force.

DCMS issued Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums in 2005 which encouraged museums to establish an advisory framework to assist in determining repatriation claims and provided a set of criteria which need to be taken into account in assessing claims.

A number of museums have returned human remains over the last few years, including the Pitt Rivers museum to Aboriginal communities in Australia, the Natural History Museum to the Moriori community in New Zealand, and the National Army Museum returning locks of hair of Emperor Tewodros II to Ethiopia.

It is for businesses and auction rooms to decide whether to prohibit sales of human remains, taking into account the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004. Those who sell or purchase human remains may also be subject to their own professional standards and codes of conduct.

Music and dance are both important parts of a rich and broad school curriculum, underpinned by the existing national curriculum programmes of study for music from age 5 to 14 and for physical education (PE) from age 5 to 16, which incorporates dance.

The government recently announced the independent expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review. This will seek to deliver a broader curriculum, so that children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, the arts, sport and drama, as well as vocational subjects.

The Review will ensure that the new curriculum provides breadth of opportunity for every child and young person, including supporting their cultural development and allowing them to develop their creativity.

The government will also take more immediate action by launching a National Music Education Network to help parents, teachers and children to find courses and classes. In addition, the department will enable children to be more active by protecting time for PE. We will also support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16 and ensure accountability measures reflect this.

At CHOGM 2024 in Samoa, the UK announced a series of initiatives aimed to address inequality. This included the new UK Trade Centre of Expertise, which will drive export-led growth across the Commonwealth by providing support to developing countries, increased technical assistance to small states to help them unlock access to climate finance, and continued funding for Commonwealth and Chevening scholars to create opportunities for future generations. The UK also announced increased support to protect and promote the rights and inclusion of LGBT+ persons and persons with disabilities in Commonwealth countries. I engaged civil society extensively during CHOGM, attending The Commonwealth Equality Network's reception to launch their CHOGM Shadow Report as well as participating in the Commonwealth Youth, Women's and People's Forums.