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World Heritage Sites

8. Mr. Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne, Central) (Lab): What steps she is taking to improve the (a) protection and (b) accessibility of new finds on world heritage sites. [180468]

The Minister for the Arts (Estelle Morris): The Department is keen to ensure accessibility to our cultural heritage, but that needs to be balanced with the needs of conservation and protection. That applies to all finds, irrespective of whether they are in world heritage sites. The Department is reviewing legislation on the protection of the historic environment.

Mr. Cousins: I know that no one understands the linkage between heritage and regeneration more than my right hon. Friend. May I ask for her help in ensuring that a new length of Hadrian's Wall, which has been discovered on a building site in my constituency in an area next to some council flats, is made accessible? It has some unusual forward defensive features, indicating that Tyneside kept the Romans pretty busy right to the end. I am told that if property values in the area reflected London values it would be made accessible, but that because it is next to some council flats it cannot be. Will she consider this inequality and see whether something can be done?

Estelle Morris: I am aware of the find of part of Hadrian's Wall on what I understand is the site of a redevelopment in my hon. Friend's constituency. I say two things. First, I know that, advised by English Heritage, the planning authority in his area is considering what should happen as far as further building of the hotel is concerned. I hesitate to intervene in that, because it is not the role of central Government to do so. However, may I reassure him that planning policy guidance note 16 will, I hope, offer that part of Hadrian's Wall the protection it deserves? This is a balancing act between ensuring that it is preserved and giving access if that is possible. I shall stall a little while the planning authority makes its mind up. As I say, I am reluctant to get involved at that local level.

Secondly, my hon. Friend will probably be aware that the world heritage site committee is considering the whole of Hadrian's Wall to see whether some amendments need to be made regarding the areas that are part of that world heritage site. In due course, the part of Hadrian's Wall that has just been discovered might be added to it. We shall see. If it happens, I know my hon. Friend will welcome it.
 
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Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet) (Con): Can the Minister confirm that of the 750 or so world heritage sites, 25 are in the United Kingdom? Can she further confirm that according to the new rules—if that is the right term—that are being created, a nation can make only one world heritage site nomination a year? Is not that rather a stupid way to go into that very important matter? Should not this be based on qualitative judgments rather than rationing each country to only one nomination a year?

Estelle Morris: I confirm that there are indeed 25 sites in the UK, a great many of which have been determined as such in the last decade. As the hon. Gentleman says, it is the Government's responsibility to put forward one site for consideration. I cannot confirm that there has been a change of rule, but I promise to look it up. If he will accept that, I shall write to him to clarify the situation.

British Museum Seminar

9. Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow) (Lab): What action the Department is taking as a result of the recent seminar at the British Museum chaired by Mr. Jon Snow on Iraqi artefacts. [180469]

The Minister for the Arts (Estelle Morris): My Department will continue its close association with the British Museum in helping the Iraqi Ministry for Culture to protect Iraq's culture and heritage.

Mr. Dalyell: What provision is being made for culture by the new British embassy in Baghdad?

Estelle Morris: It is incredibly important that provision is made. There are lots of priorities as the new provisional Government take over today. We wish them well, as we do the elected Government in due course. I share the concern behind my hon. Friend's question that care needs to be taken in relation to cultural artefacts and heritage in the same way as it does in relation to transport, security, education and health. I promise that my Department will remain in close contact with the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development to ensure that any contribution that we can make, and any pressure that we can put on through our representation there, is made. Meanwhile, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office tells me that in due course the director for Iraq of the British Council will be the cultural attaché based at the British embassy in Baghdad. That is where responsibility will lie in the immediate future. I want to give a firm undertaking that we will want to keep that under close scrutiny and make sure that it is the level and kind of support that the new Government will need to protect their incredibly valuable heritage.

Mr. David Cameron (Witney) (Con): Is the Minister satisfied that the lessons have been learned from the dreadful looting that took place in Baghdad? Does she agree that warnings from bodies about professional looting were ignored, that the border of Iraq was not policed, that the law for importing artefacts in this country was imperfect—I know that it has now been corrected—and that Departments did not work
 
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together as quickly as they should have done? What can she say to satisfy us that the lessons really have been learned and that those things will not happen again?

Estelle Morris: I very much hope that the lessons have been learned. To some extent, I hope that circumstances will not arise again in which we must take action based on lessons learned. Without wishing to make excuses, the situation was unusual, and things were not done that could have been done. There is no doubt about that. My hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) highlighted the fact that much needs to be done to make sure that the heritage is preserved. We have been in contact with both the new provisional Government and the former alliances about lessons learned. As far as I, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and our Department are concerned, it is our job to make sure that the lessons are learned. Moreover, the key point is that the lessons are acted on. To some extent, people knew what should have been done, which was not always given the priority that it should have been given, at a time of other equally high priorities. More important than lessons learned are lessons acted on in future. That is the direction in which we ought to go.

Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): The Minister will know that the vast majority of people in the world who ever have an opportunity to see any of the great works of art from Iraq will see them in the British Museum, because it has probably the best collection in the world of Iraqi, Abyssinian, Assyrian and Mesopotamian works. Does she believe that the British Museum could do more to try to explain the connection of those ancient artefacts with modern society, and particularly with Islam, as a means of overcoming much Islamophobia around the world?

Estelle Morris: Indeed. That is one of the major purposes of the British Museum, and it does that task incredibly well. May I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the staff of the British Museum who have been to Iraq in the past and who have worked with people from the museum sector there to help to update their skills? That will be incredibly valuable in the years ahead. However, I refer my hon. Friend to the original question, which was about a recent seminar at the British Museum, chaired by Jon Snow, on Iraqi artefacts. I heard from from people who were there, including my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), who asked the question, exactly what the British Museum did. I think that one of the most valuable aspects of museums is that they provide a safe place in which different interpretations of events and a sense of our history and heritage can be conveyed. They help to explain some of today's conflicts, which I believe is one of museums' major contributions to our society. I am delighted that this country has museums of the calibre of the British Museum that continue to provide that service.

London Olympic Bid

10. Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell) (Con): How the Government will help increase public support for the 2012 London Olympic bid. [180470]
 
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell): Public visibility and conviction about community gain and relevance are, I think, the two ways in which we will build public awareness and support for the bid. To that end, the Government are working very closely with London 2012 in order to maximise our chances of winning the bid. The decision will take place in July next year. I would also point to the degree and strength of cross-party support for our bid, which is another important asset in our favour.

Mr. Mackay: The Secretary of State will be aware that supporters of the bid on both sides of the House were desperately disappointed that we came only third in the first round. It seemed to us that the two areas in which we were marked down were public support and Government support. What more are the Government going to do—starting at the top with the Prime Minister—to take a lead so that we really win in 2012?

Tessa Jowell: If people looked at the figures for Paris and Madrid, the two countries that were ahead of us, they would find that one reason we were marked down was the uncertainty of the impending mayoral elections—[Interruption.] It is a matter of fact that there was a small differential in our assessment on Government support because of the uncertainty created by the forthcoming mayoral elections.

Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove) (Con) indicated dissent.

Tessa Jowell: It is a matter of fact. The second point is that the level of public support is consistent and, although it is high, we have to build on it. No one who was in the Mall on Saturday night, where 80,000 people welcomed the torch borne by Steve Redgrave to the centre of London, could have been in any doubt whatever about the level of public and Government support for the bid. I would be grateful if the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) would talk that up, rather than constantly cast doubt on it.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

The hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, was asked—

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