Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what processes his Department has in place to respond to requests for repatriations of colonial artefacts and human remains from UK museums, universities and other institutions; and what plans the Government has for an audit to be undertaken of such items.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Decisions relating to museum collections are a matter for the trustees of each museum, who operate independently of the government. This includes the institutions’ responses to requests for repatriation or restitution for colonial artefacts and human remains.
The Department is committed to supporting museums in dealing confidently with all aspects of restitution. This includes supporting ongoing work led by Arts Council England on creating new guidance for the museum sector. This will create a comprehensive and practical resource for museums to support them in dealing with all aspects of restitution.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress is being made on the repatriation from the UK to Zimbabwe of the remains of (a) Mbuya Nehanda, (b) Sekuru Kaguvi and (c) the 25 First Chimurenga fighters.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
It is not confirmed that the remains of Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguve and the 25 First Chimurenga fighters are held in an UK institution. If it was determined that they were in the UK, and a request for their return was received, the decision to do so would be a matter for that institution to consider.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential risks to UK boxing of the announcement of the role of Daniel Kinahan in organising a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury; and what steps he is taking to raise concerns on that matter with UK based broadcasters.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The arrangements for sporting competitions are a matter for the relevant sporting bodies, and it is up to broadcasters to make decisions about which events they wish to cover.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the Government's policy is on negotiating future participation in the European Solidarity Corps.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The UK’s document setting out our Future Relationship with the European Union, which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-approach-to-the-future-relationship-with-the-eu, states that the UK is ready to consider participation in certain EU programmes where it is in the UK’s and the EU’s interest that we do so. These programmes represent a real benefit to British people and industry. The Government will not be seeking participation in the next European Solidarity Corps programme from 2021-2027.
Under the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to participate fully in the current (2014-2020) ESC programme. This means that the projects successfully bid for during the current programmes until the end of the Transition period, will continue to receive funding for the full duration of the project, including those where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.