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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department has issued to (a) universities and (b) colleges on the display of statues of former slave trade owners; and if he will make a statement.

No such guidance has been issued.

Historic England, as the Government’s adviser on the historic environment have set out their position on contested heritage. This highlights how removing difficult and contentious parts of the historic environment can risk harming our understanding of our collective past. Historic England recommends the use of clear, long-lasting and innovative reinterpretation to reflect historical objects’ changed context and contemporary understanding of them.

They and other heritage funding bodies invest significantly in improving public access to historical objects, providing contemporary interpretation of them and supporting diverse heritage projects around the country.