Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral evidence hearing of the Holocaust Memorial Bill Committee on the afternoon of 24 January 2024, whether he has had discussions with his Department's Counsel on the press release issued by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and the Cabinet Office entitled Adjaye Associates and Ron Arad Architects win UK Holocaust Memorial International Design Competition; for what reason his Counsel contradicted the assertion that Sir David Adjaye was the lead designer of the architecture for that memorial; and if will take steps to draw that press release to the Committee's attention.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Counsel for the Secretary of State correctly drew the Select Committee’s attention to the role of the late Asa Bruno in designing the Holocaust Memorial. Mr Bruno’s evidence to the planning inquiry summarised the position as follows:
“I am co-founder and Director of Ron Arad Architects Ltd, the architectural practice acting as Memorial Architect for the project, and I am leading the role of Memorial Architect on behalf of the practice.”
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will (a) publish a list of the freedom of information requests relating to the proposed Holocaust Memorial and associated learning centre that (i) his Department has not yet responded to and (ii) are waiting for adjudication by the Information Commissioner and (b) order his Department to release all the information requested.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
No Freedom of Information requests relating to the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre are awaiting a response from the Department. A letter from the Information Commissioner about the Department’s handling of a previous request was received on 18 January 2024 and will receive a response shortly.
A great deal of information about the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre has been published as part of the planning application. When Freedom of Information requests have sought information which falls within statutory exemptions, careful consideration is given and the appropriate public interest tests are applied. Some material requested by Doran Gerhold in December 2018 was withheld on this basis: the Information Commissioner and the First Tier Tribunal have each, twice, upheld the Department’s approach.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the redacted Holocaust Memorial material subject to the freedom of information request by Dorian Gerhold in December 2018.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
No Freedom of Information requests relating to the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre are awaiting a response from the Department. A letter from the Information Commissioner about the Department’s handling of a previous request was received on 18 January 2024 and will receive a response shortly.
A great deal of information about the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre has been published as part of the planning application. When Freedom of Information requests have sought information which falls within statutory exemptions, careful consideration is given and the appropriate public interest tests are applied. Some material requested by Doran Gerhold in December 2018 was withheld on this basis: the Information Commissioner and the First Tier Tribunal have each, twice, upheld the Department’s approach.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department last met the architect named as leading the design team for the new national landmark next to the Houses of Parliament in the press notice issued by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and the Cabinet Office published on 24 October 2017.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
There have been no officials meetings with ministers from this department. Officials last met on 21 February 2023.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department last met the architect named as leading the design team for the new national landmark next to the Houses of Parliament in the press notice issued by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and the Cabinet Office published on 24 October 2017.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
There have been no officials meetings with ministers from this department. Officials last met on 21 February 2023.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will erect temporary scaffolding in Victoria Tower Gardens to demonstrate the proposed size of the Holocaust Memorial.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Detailed images showing the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens were considered at the planning inquiry in 2020 and are available on the Westminster City Council website: Inquiry documents | Westminster City Council.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much has been spent on architectural costs for the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens to date; how much is committed to be spent in future; and if he will make an estimate of the cost for architectural services if the proposals are enacted.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The department has spent £4,156,379.80 to date on architectural services for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre programme, including £638,000 on architectural services for the planning inquiry held in 2020. The department is forecasting future spend on architectural services of between £1.6 million and £1.9 million, taking into account estimates of inflation caused by delays to the programme.
Officials meet regularly with representatives of the design team, and met Ron Arad, the designer of the Holocaust Memorial on 6 July 2023. Officials keep the Secretary of State updated on the project overall.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when (a) he and (b) officials in his Department last met the architect of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The department has spent £4,156,379.80 to date on architectural services for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre programme, including £638,000 on architectural services for the planning inquiry held in 2020. The department is forecasting future spend on architectural services of between £1.6 million and £1.9 million, taking into account estimates of inflation caused by delays to the programme.
Officials meet regularly with representatives of the design team, and met Ron Arad, the designer of the Holocaust Memorial on 6 July 2023. Officials keep the Secretary of State updated on the project overall.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the earliest estimated date is for the completion of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Subject to approval of the Holocaust Memorial Bill, and to obtaining planning consent when the designated Minister re-takes the decision, we aim to open in 2027.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has visited the Imperial War Museum (IWM) Holocaust Galleries; and whether he has been briefed on the IWM Learning Programmes.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Minister with responsibility for the Holocaust Memorial, Baroness Scott of Bybrook, has visited the Holocaust Galleries and been briefed about the Imperial War Museum's work.
The Government has spent £17.8 million on the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. Details of any future spend will be set out in the usual way.