Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks of causing offence and damaging the UK’s reputation overseas arising from the continued retention in public collections of human remains acquired during the colonial period; and what plans they have to repatriate human remains to the nations from which they were acquired where requested.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks of causing offence and damaging the UK’s reputation overseas arising from the sale of human remains acquired during the colonial period in public auctions; and what plans they have to prohibit those sales.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK’s international reputation for respect for freedom of religion of the retention by the British Museum of the Ethiopian tabots and the inability of members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church who seek their return to the places from which they were forcibly removed to access them.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they last raised with the trustees of the British Museum the return of contested sacred objects in its collection forcibly removed from their places of origin.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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.

Found: This proposal is supported by Lord Aberdare, Lord Boateng, Baroness Keeley, Lord Knight of Weymouth,

Found: The Chair: Going to a slightly topic, I invite Lord Boateng to pick up the questioning.

Found: Lord Boateng: Is that benefit quantifiable?

Found: Lord Boateng: Is that benefit quantifiable?