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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking (a) to sustain and enhance the significance of heritage assets located beyond UK Territorial Waters but within the UK Marine Area and in particular the sites of (i) the Galloper wreck, (ii) HMS Victory of 1744 and (iii) HMS Gloucester of 1654 and (b) to provide ongoing funding for that purpose; and what evidence his Department is using to monitor for any substantial loss or harm to those sites.

Under customary international law, naval warships, state vessels, aircraft and associated artefacts enjoy protection through Sovereign Immunity wherever in the world they lie. This means that they are not subject to the jurisdiction of any other State. Sovereign Immune vessels cannot have salvage services conferred upon them without the consent of the Flag State. The UK is of the view that Sovereign Immune wrecks should be left in situ and undisturbed.

Where applicable, some wrecks are afforded additional protection through the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986

In order to sustain these particular wrecks, the Government is monitoring all three sites.