Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the online auction of a human female half skeleton by Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 14 July, whether they plan to issue advice to relevant trade associations, internet auctioneers, and regulatory authorities, to regulate or prevent the further sale of human remains and body parts.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This government calls on all auction houses to scrutinise their activities and for anyone trading in human remains to consider carefully the ethical implications of this activity which many understandably find deeply disturbing. All human remains should be treated with respect and dignity. This did not happen with this sale. I have written to Richard Winterton Auctioneers and other relevant bodies to raise concerns about this issue. UK auction houses currently set their own standards and best practice, taking into account the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will meet with the Department for Health and Social Care in the Autumn to discuss the sale of human remains at auction and online.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they plan to take following the online auction of a human female half skeleton by Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 14 July.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This government calls on all auction houses to scrutinise their activities and for anyone trading in human remains to consider carefully the ethical implications of this activity which many understandably find deeply disturbing. All human remains should be treated with respect and dignity. This did not happen with this sale. I have written to Richard Winterton Auctioneers and other relevant bodies to raise concerns about this issue. UK auction houses currently set their own standards and best practice, taking into account the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will meet with the Department for Health and Social Care in the Autumn to discuss the sale of human remains at auction and online.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, as a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, what steps they are taking to address the concerns of the indigenous people of Nagaland about the public auction of the body parts of their ancestors.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We recognise the important global contribution that all Indigenous Peoples make to climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and inclusive and sustainable development, and support global efforts to recognise and advance their contribution.
It is for businesses and auction rooms to consider the consent and licensing provisions of the UK Human Tissue Act 2004. Those who sell or purchase human remains may also be subject to their own professional standards and codes of conduct.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights impact of the conflict in Myanmar on the indigenous people of Nagaland; and when Government representatives last visited Naga territories in (1) India, and (2) Myanmar.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and its impact on all communities, including those in border regions. We are aware of reports that the violence and instability have affected indigenous populations in neighbouring areas, including the Naga people. We condemn all human rights atrocities committed in Myanmar, notably by the military regime. In April, we co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Myanmar calling for the military regime to fully respect and protect the human rights of all persons in Myanmar, including ethnic and religious minorities. British Officials have not recently visited the Naga territories in India, and have not been able to visit Naga territories in Myanmar since the coup in February 2021.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of civil society, youth and religious organisations in negotiating reconciliation and restorative justice in (1) conflict areas with disputed boundaries, and (2) Nagaland.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
His Majesty's Government recognises the vital role that civil society, youth, and religious organisations play in fostering reconciliation and promoting restorative justice in conflict-affected regions. These actors are often uniquely placed to build trust, mediate dialogue, and support inclusive peacebuilding processes at the grassroots level.
In relation to conflict areas with disputed boundaries, the Government continues to support initiatives that empower local communities and civil society actors to engage in dialogue, reduce tensions, and promote peaceful coexistence. With regard to Nagaland, while the UK does not have a direct role in the peace process, we continue to monitor developments closely.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their obligations, as a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to the indigenous people of Nagaland.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to human rights globally. We recognise the important global contribution that all Indigenous Peoples make to climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and inclusive and sustainable development, and support global efforts to recognise and advance their contribution.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of UK aid delivered to (1) Nigeria, (2) Ghana, and (3) other Sub-Saharan African countries, was spent on (a) clinical training, and (b) strengthening health systems, in those countries in each of the past three years.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to global health. Strong, national health systems are the foundation for all aspects of health, from essential childhood immunisation to global health security. We align investments behind the priorities of partner countries. In Nigeria, the LAFIYA-UK programme strengthens systems to improve health and nutrition services. The proportion of UK aid spent on health from the bilateral budget was 11 per cent in 2022-23 and 2023-24, and 19 per cent in 2024-25. In Ghana, our Partnership Beyond Aid and Leave No One Behind programmes have improved quality, efficiency and resilience in the health system, and the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised groups. The proportion of UK aid spent on health from the bilateral budget was 23 per cent in 2022-23, 30 per cent in 2023-2024, and 19 per cent in 2024-2025. The UK also provides significant support to strengthening the global health workforce through multilateral investments such as the World Health Organisation, World Bank and the Global Health Initiatives, who support in-service clinical training for health workers. Our multilateral contribution on global health totalled £3.1 billion in 2021-2023 and the Department of Health and Social Care's Global Health Workforce Programme (£15 million from 2023-2026) supports the development of the health workforce in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of NHS doctors and clinicians recruited from overseas by the NHS in the past three years were from (1) Nigeria, (2) Ghana, and (3) other Sub-Saharan African countries; and whether they have made an assessment of the impact of such recruitment on the health care systems of those countries.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We hugely value our health and social care workers from overseas who work tirelessly to provide the best possible care and enhance our health and care workforce with their valuable skills, experience, and expertise.
No assessment has been made of the savings to the taxpayer resulting from the recruitment of doctors and clinicians trained in Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries. There is also no plan to reimburse the Governments of those countries for the cost of training doctors and clinicians currently working in the National Health Service.
Information on the proportion of NHS doctors and clinicians recruited from overseas in the past three years from Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries is not collected centrally, and no assessment has been made of the impact of such recruitment on the healthcare systems of those countries.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to reimburse the governments of (1) Nigeria, (2) Ghana, and (3) other Sub-Saharan Africa countries, for the cost of training doctors and clinicians currently working in the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We hugely value our health and social care workers from overseas who work tirelessly to provide the best possible care and enhance our health and care workforce with their valuable skills, experience, and expertise.
No assessment has been made of the savings to the taxpayer resulting from the recruitment of doctors and clinicians trained in Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries. There is also no plan to reimburse the Governments of those countries for the cost of training doctors and clinicians currently working in the National Health Service.
Information on the proportion of NHS doctors and clinicians recruited from overseas in the past three years from Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries is not collected centrally, and no assessment has been made of the impact of such recruitment on the healthcare systems of those countries.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the saving to the taxpayer resulting from the recruitment of doctors and clinicians trained in (1) Nigeria, (2) Ghana, and (3) other Sub-Saharan African countries.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We hugely value our health and social care workers from overseas who work tirelessly to provide the best possible care and enhance our health and care workforce with their valuable skills, experience, and expertise.
No assessment has been made of the savings to the taxpayer resulting from the recruitment of doctors and clinicians trained in Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries. There is also no plan to reimburse the Governments of those countries for the cost of training doctors and clinicians currently working in the National Health Service.
Information on the proportion of NHS doctors and clinicians recruited from overseas in the past three years from Nigeria, Ghana, and other Sub-Saharan African countries is not collected centrally, and no assessment has been made of the impact of such recruitment on the healthcare systems of those countries.