To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the British Council in delivering the Cultural Protection Fund in support of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in conflict-affected and fragile regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the British Council in delivering the Cultural Protection Fund in support of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in conflict-affected and fragile regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the British Council’s delivery of the Cultural Protection Fund on (a) strengthening support for communities connected to UNESCO World Heritage Sites and (b) promoting international cultural partnerships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the British Council’s delivery of the Cultural Protection Fund on (a) strengthening support for communities connected to UNESCO World Heritage Sites and (b) promoting international cultural partnerships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the contribution of the British Council’s delivery of the Cultural Protection Fund on the safeguarding and long-term preservation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the contribution of the British Council’s delivery of the Cultural Protection Fund on the safeguarding and long-term preservation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

My hon. Friend raises an excellent point. The cultural development and cultural protection funds are both top of my list. The cultural protection fund has done an enormous amount internationally. I would draw his attention to what has been highly successful diplomacy, including the V and A opening a new gallery in Shekou design centre in China earlier this month, which is one example of the advances we have made.

My hon. Friend raises an excellent point. The cultural development and cultural protection funds are both top of my list. The cultural protection fund has done an enormous amount internationally. I would draw his attention to what has been highly successful diplomacy, including the V and A opening a new gallery in Shekou design centre in China earlier this month, which is one example of the advances we have made.

The opening of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi by President Macron last month demonstrated the power of culture to drive foreign and trade policy, but we all know that the glories of France are as nothing compared with the glories of our own country, so what can the Secretary of State and her Ministers do to advance British cultural diplomacy around the world, and might one element of that be our excellent cultural protection fund?

The opening of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi by President Macron last month demonstrated the power of culture to drive foreign and trade policy, but we all know that the glories of France are as nothing compared with the glories of our own country, so what can the Secretary of State and her Ministers do to advance British cultural diplomacy around the world, and might one element of that be our excellent cultural protection fund?

The Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [HL] 2016-17 has been considered in Public Bill Committee. This Commons Library Briefing Paper gives an overview of the debate so far.

The Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [HL] 2016-17 has been considered in Public Bill Committee. This Commons Library Briefing Paper gives an overview of the debate so far.

It is with great pleasure and pride that I close the Second Reading debate on the Bill. This piece of legislation has been a long time coming, and I pay tribute to the former Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr Whittingdale) for his success...

It is with great pleasure and pride that I close the Second Reading debate on the Bill. This piece of legislation has been a long time coming, and I pay tribute to the former Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr Whittingdale) for his success...

I. Letter dated 14/06/2016 from Baroness Neville-Rolfe to Baroness Bonham-Carter regarding the situation in Yemen and operation of the Cultural Protection Fund, raised during Second reading of the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill. 2p. II. Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill - note on definition of ancillary offences in clause 4. 5p. III. Letter dated 05/07/2016 from Baroness Neville-Rolfe to colleagues regarding Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill: Ancillary offences and the Cultural Protection Fund. 2p.

I. Letter dated 14/06/2016 from Baroness Neville-Rolfe to Baroness Bonham-Carter regarding the situation in Yemen and operation of the Cultural Protection Fund, raised during Second reading of the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill. 2p. II. Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill - note on definition of ancillary offences in clause 4....

My Lords, we are taking an opportunity here. The Minister will doubtless say that it is not necessarily appropriate to put this in the Bill, but it is really important that the suite of mechanisms we have to address the protection of cultural heritage should be debated at this stage....

My Lords, we are taking an opportunity here. The Minister will doubtless say that it is not necessarily appropriate to put this in the Bill, but it is really important that the suite of mechanisms we have to address the protection of cultural heritage should be debated at this stage....

My Lords, I thank Peter Stone of Newcastle University and Historic England for their briefings.

I am grateful to the Government for introducing this Bill and for doing so so early in the Session. As we know, this will not provide a panacea for saving all cultural heritage or bringing back...

My Lords, I thank Peter Stone of Newcastle University and Historic England for their briefings.

I am grateful to the Government for introducing this Bill and for doing so so early in the Session. As we know, this will not provide a panacea for saving all cultural heritage or bringing back...

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

My Lords, it has been a long wait for the legislation that will enable the United Kingdom to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention and I am honoured that I am able to bring it forward. Unfortunately, recent tragic events have demonstrated only too well the convention’s continued relevance. I refer...

My Lords, it has been a long wait for the legislation that will enable the United Kingdom to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention and I am honoured that I am able to bring it forward. Unfortunately, recent tragic events have demonstrated only too well the convention’s continued relevance. I refer...

My Lords, on these Benches, we welcome and support the Bill. We recognise that our country behaves, in many ways, as if the Bill had already been enacted. We note, for example, that the Government have said:

“Our Armed Forces already act as though bound by the Hague convention, and …...

My Lords, on these Benches, we welcome and support the Bill. We recognise that our country behaves, in many ways, as if the Bill had already been enacted. We note, for example, that the Government have said:

“Our Armed Forces already act as though bound by the Hague convention, and …...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to welcome and support the Bill to ratify the 1954 Hague convention and its two protocols, for which the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group has long argued. One may well ask, as the noble Lord, Lord Foster, just did, why it took so long.

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My Lords, it is a great pleasure to welcome and support the Bill to ratify the 1954 Hague convention and its two protocols, for which the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group has long argued. One may well ask, as the noble Lord, Lord Foster, just did, why it took so long.

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My Lords, six months ago I was privileged to lead a debate in the House in which many noble Lords spoke passionately and powerfully about the need to ratify the Hague convention and its protocols. I argued that, given the wanton violence to world heritage, not a day should be...

My Lords, six months ago I was privileged to lead a debate in the House in which many noble Lords spoke passionately and powerfully about the need to ratify the Hague convention and its protocols. I argued that, given the wanton violence to world heritage, not a day should be...

My Lords, I also welcome the Bill. I say this because it was on the first agenda of the All-Party Group on Archaeology 15 years ago, where the noble Lords, Lord Renfrew and Lord Howarth of Newport, and I discussed it, and we have discussed it many times since. It...

My Lords, I also welcome the Bill. I say this because it was on the first agenda of the All-Party Group on Archaeology 15 years ago, where the noble Lords, Lord Renfrew and Lord Howarth of Newport, and I discussed it, and we have discussed it many times since. It...

My Lords, I first declare my interests: my wife, Victoria, the MP for Kensington, is president of BADA, the British Antiques Dealers Association, and she used to run the Olympia antiques fairs for some years; I am a part-time fundraiser for both the Science Museum and Historic Royal Palaces, the...

My Lords, I first declare my interests: my wife, Victoria, the MP for Kensington, is president of BADA, the British Antiques Dealers Association, and she used to run the Olympia antiques fairs for some years; I am a part-time fundraiser for both the Science Museum and Historic Royal Palaces, the...

My Lords, I, too, thank Her Majesty’s Government for allowing parliamentary time for this important Bill. I declare my interest as

co-chair of the All-Party Group on International Freedom of Religion or Belief. I am grateful that some noble Lords have already mentioned the fact that cultural heritage is often...

My Lords, I, too, thank Her Majesty’s Government for allowing parliamentary time for this important Bill. I declare my interest as

co-chair of the All-Party Group on International Freedom of Religion or Belief. I am grateful that some noble Lords have already mentioned the fact that cultural heritage is often...

My Lords, I welcome the Bill. As other noble Lords have said, it is long overdue.

The looting and destruction of cultural heritage has gone on since the beginning of civilisation. In 1700 BC the Assyrians invaded Arab tribes and settlements on the western side of Iraq—then Mesopotamia, now Ramadi and...

My Lords, I welcome the Bill. As other noble Lords have said, it is long overdue.

The looting and destruction of cultural heritage has gone on since the beginning of civilisation. In 1700 BC the Assyrians invaded Arab tribes and settlements on the western side of Iraq—then Mesopotamia, now Ramadi and...