Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 28 November 2012 (HL Deb, col GC 124) and the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 20 May 2013 (WA 26), when they expect to announce a decision on the future of HMS Victory (1744); and when they expect to publish the key management principles formulated by the Advisory Group for HMS Victory.

Ministers and Officials from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), drawing on advice from the independent Advisory Group, continue to engage with the Maritime Heritage Foundation over the future management of the wreck site of HMS VICTORY (1744). The Project Plan must be consistent with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage and its associated Annex.

Considerable progress has been made over the last two years but no date has been set for an announcement.

The DCMS and the MOD have published guidance, including Key Management Principles, on the Protection and Management of Historic Military Wrecks outside UK Territorial Waters, this can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-and-management-of-historic-military-wrecks-outside-uk-territorial-waters

More information specific to HMS VICTORY (1744) will be published once the way ahead is determined.