Written question asked by Baroness Young of Hornsey (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 14 May 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 May 2024. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 May 2024 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

St Helena: Exhumation

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government how many scientific or archaeological research studies have been conducted since 2008 on ancestral human remains to determine the origins of the enslaved people on the island of St Helena.

Answer: Approximately 8000 former slaves are buried on St Helena and died after being taken to the island by the Royal Navy's West African Squadron trying to halt the slave trade in the mid-nineteenth century. Their precise origins are unknown. Archaeological research was conducted on human remains unearthed in 2008 during preparatory work for St Helena Airport and a further two studies were subsequently completed. Research conducted concluded that some of the individuals likely originated from the Central Africa region.

Secondary information