Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the trustees of the British Museum about the return of artefacts of historic, cultural or religious significance in the Museum’s collection to their countries of origin where the legality of their acquisition has been contested; and whether this includes the Ethiopian tabots.

Objects in the collection of the British Museum are legally owned by the Trustees of the British Museum, which is operationally independent of Government. Discussions and decisions relating to the care and management of the museum's collections are therefore a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum.

Some national museums, including the British Museum, are prevented by legislation from deaccessioning objects in their collections unless, broadly, they are duplicates or unfit for retention. The two exceptions to this are when the objects are human remains less than 1,000 years old, and objects spoliated during the Nazi-era. The Government has no plans to change these laws.

The British Museum has said that it recognises the significance of the tabots and has held meaningful talks with the Ethiopian Church on this sensitive issue. The Museum’s stated ambition is to seek to lend these objects to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the UK. The Government fully supports the Museum’s Trustees in their approach.