Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with UNESCO on the proposed application for Dr Edward Jenner's house in Berkeley to receive world heritage statue.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for nominating sites across the United Kingdom to UNESCO for World Heritage status. The Department last updated the Tentative List of prospective World Heritage nominations in 2022/23 and it is not due to be updated until at least 2033.
Following the conclusion of this exercise, guidance was published on GOV.UK, which sets out the process for sites seeking World Heritage status and emphasises that the UK is looking to reduce the amount of World Heritage nominations that we submit to UNESCO.
Recognising the important contribution that Dr Edward Jenner’s house makes to our country’s heritage, Historic England, as the body in England responsible for designating heritage assets, is best placed in the first instance, to advise on and explore the range of potentially suitable heritage designations.