Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con) (Urgent Question): To ask
the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities if
he will make a statement on the future of the proposed holocaust
memorial and learning centre in Victoria Tower Gardens. The
Minister of State, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities (Paul Scully) The Government remain committed to the
creation of a new national memorial commemorating the victims of
the holocaust. The...Request free trial
(Worthing West) (Con)
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling
Up, Housing and Communities if he will make a statement on the
future of the proposed holocaust memorial and learning centre in
Victoria Tower Gardens.
The Minister of State, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities ()
The Government remain committed to the creation of a new national
memorial commemorating the victims of the holocaust. The new
holocaust memorial will be the national focal point for honouring
the 6 million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in
the holocaust, and other victims of Nazi persecution, including
the Roma, and gay and disabled people. We must build this new
national holocaust memorial and the learning centre, so that
future generations can never doubt what happened. That is the
only way that we can be certain that it will never happen
again.
The commitment to creating a holocaust memorial was first made by
the then Prime Minister, with cross-party support, in January
2015. I am pleased that the project has continued to enjoy
support across a very broad range of people from all political
parties, different faith communities, and all parts of society.
The current Prime Minister is also very keen on and supportive of
the project.
Following an extensive search for suitable sites, in which around
50 possible locations were considered, Victoria Tower Gardens was
chosen as the best possible location for the memorial.
Constructing the memorial next to Parliament, at the heart of our
democracy, provides a powerful signal of the importance we attach
to remembering the holocaust and seeking to learn its lessons.
Following a lengthy public inquiry, planning consent for the
memorial and learning centre was granted in July 2021. Sadly,
though, a challenge was brought by the London Historic Parks and
Garden Trust, which led to the High Court quashing the consent in
April this year.
The loss of that consent was a disappointment, especially to
those holocaust survivors who place such high value on sharing
their testimony and who want to be confident that their message
will continue to be heard. It was a further disappointment that
the Court of Appeal decided yesterday that an appeal against the
High Court decision would not be heard.
We will of course study those decisions carefully as we consider
our next steps, but in addition to the Prime Minister’s personal
support, our commitment to holocaust survivors remains strong.
The lessons of the holocaust must be remembered and told with
honesty and clarity. As the number of survivors sadly dwindles,
we face an urgent task to ensure that their work in sharing those
lessons continues.
I am grateful to the Minister for coming to answer the urgent
question at short notice. Joshua Rozenberg observed today:
“If the government had chosen in 2015 to build the memorial and
learning centre at the Imperial War Museum, it would have been
open by now”
alongside the powerful Holocaust Galleries. I mention that
because the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation’s research and
education has led my family to learn that over 100 of my
grandfather’s cousins died in the death camps and concentration
camps.
The Minister knows that Jewish opinion is divided. Will he take
this opportunity to read the National Audit Office report of two
weeks ago? Will he also read the Holocaust Memorial Foundation’s
September 2015 specification, which said that most of the money
should be spent on education, rather than on construction? All
the money spent over the past seven years has gone on proposals
for construction, with nothing for education, which matters
most.
Will he also look at the page suggesting possible central London
locations, which include the whole of Regent’s Park, most of Hyde
Park, and the Imperial War Museum?
Will he say to fellow Ministers that, as well coming to answer
questions here, it is time to look again at how to fulfil the
aims of the Holocaust Commission and the specifications of the
Holocaust Memorial Foundation and actually to talk to those of us
who have been trying to say to the Government for quite some time
that Victoria Tower Gardens—I played there and have studied,
lived and worked nearby for two thirds of my life—is not the
place to put a mound and a hole in the ground? The area is
insecure and of doubtful value in meeting the purposes, as well
as being only one third of the size specified by the foundation
only seven years ago.
I thank the Father of the House for asking the question in the
first place and for his thoughts. Victoria Tower Gardens was
identified as a site uniquely capable of meeting the Government’s
aspirations for the national memorial. There cannot be a more
powerful symbol of our commitment than to place the memorial in
the gardens next to the centre of our democracy in Parliament.
The learning centre exhibition serves a different, although
complementary, purpose from the Imperial War Museum’s new
Holocaust Galleries, which are now largely completed, making it
far more difficult to place the memorial there.
On terrorism, it would clearly be absolutely unacceptable to
build a memorial in a less prominent location simply because of
the risk of terrorism, because that would be to allow terrorists
to dictate how we commemorate the holocaust. However, we will
clearly work with security experts, Government agencies and the
Metropolitan police to ensure that the site has the necessary
level of security.
My hon. Friend also mentioned the NAO report and, as I am new in
post, I will get into it in some more detail, but I am reassured
that the investigation confirms our assessment of the risks and
challenges associated with such an important, complex project. It
recognised the challenges we face in managing the cost pressures
in the context of inflation across the construction sector and
the delays arising from opposition to the planning application.
He said that money should be spent on education rather than on
building, but many of the costs have related to the consultations
and legal challenges that we have faced. We want to get on and
build the memorial while holocaust survivors are still here to
look at it.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
(Nottingham North)
(Lab/Co-op)
This is an issue that has generated a range of very strong views,
but there should be a common sadness that such an important
memorial is set back yet again. Remembering the holocaust and
what it says about humanity’s past, present and future is an
intergenerational necessity— 6 million Jewish people, Roma and
Gypsy people, Slavic people, LGBT people, disabled people all
savagely murdered. Antisemitism remains a scourge today that we
all must fight together.
I am proud that Nottinghamshire is home to the National Holocaust
Centre and Museum, and I urge right hon. and hon. Members and
anyone watching proceedings today to visit it. They would not
accept credit readily, but the work of the Smith family is a
model of how memorials can be very thoughtfully done by bringing
people together. We lost Marina Smith last month and I know that
all colleagues will want to pass on their best wishes to the
Smiths.
We are now faced with the question of what to do next. The Leader
of the Opposition made very clear last week our commitment to a
national memorial and his very strong belief that it should be
sited next to Parliament. Does the Minister intend to bring
forward legislation to make sure that this memorial happens? Will
he commit to a cross-party, all-community effort to revitalise
the project? I know that he is by instinct a consensus builder,
and I suggest that he leans on that now, because this is a
project of huge national importance and it is a source of sadness
that we cannot make something of such universal significance
happen. We now must come together to ensure that it does.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his words. Yes, indeed, we will
continue to work. I think that the fact that the commission is
chaired by and shows the cross-party nature
of the approach. We all want to have the best sign—the best
memorial—to remember, and to teach and bring in a whole other
generation of witnesses, as described by one holocaust survivor.
In terms of legislation, it will clearly be for the next Prime
Minister to direct that, but we will look at the court case and
consider all options available to us.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
I am grateful to the Minister for coming here to respond to the
urgent question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Worthing
West ( ). I am encouraged by the
continuing strong measure of cross-party consensus on the
importance of delivering the holocaust memorial and learning
centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.
Does my hon. Friend agree that the story of the holocaust is, in
part, a British story, too, with the taking in of Kindertransport
refugees, the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen camp and the taking
in of child camp survivors? It is important that we tell that
story from the heart of Government here in Westminster, and
delivering the memorial and learning centre would be a powerful
way of doing that. Will he consider strongly the suggestion of
the need to legislate in order to get through and break the
deadlock?
I agree with my right hon. Friend on all those points. It is,
indeed, a British, international and global story, and we need to
reflect Britain’s place in the global response and make sure that
it can never happen again. We will look at what happened in the
court case, but also at what measures we now need to take. As I
have said, it will be for the next Prime Minister to take those
final decisions, but we will certainly be considering it in the
weeks to come.
(Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
As the Minister indicated earlier, the holocaust is now slipping
from memory into history. I am convinced that that at least
partly explains the rise in antisemitism and holocaust denial
that we have seen across Britain and Europe. Is it not even more
important now that the holocaust memorial centre should, as a
number of hon. Members and the Minister have indicated, be right
by the epicentre of democracy? I find it absolutely extraordinary
that the argument is being advanced that we should not have it in
Victoria Tower Gardens because it would become a target. On that
basis, why do we not close this place down, because this place is
a target? Will the Minister give a commitment, as the right hon.
Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire () asked, to bring forward
legislation in September to enable the construction of the
centre?
I agree that we need a response and a sign and memorial right at
the heart of our democracy. I cannot personally commit to
legislation, but certainly we will look at that. It will be a
decision for the next Prime Minister, but we will have a robust
response as best we can.
(Newark) (Con)
The building of the national holocaust memorial was a manifesto
commitment by this Government. It has cross-party support and it
also has the support of every living Prime Minister and all the
faith leaders of this country. It is a cause of great sadness to
me that a small number of individuals, many of whom are local
residents, are causing this great national project to be delayed.
They will not succeed. All they will succeed in doing is ensuring
that fewer survivors of the holocaust live to see the memorial
open, and that is a national disgrace. Will the Minister bring
forward the simple three-clause Bill that is now required? If he
will not, I put him on notice that I will amend the Levelling Up
and Regeneration Bill to do just that, and I am sure that
colleagues across this House will support me in ensuring that
this project proceeds.
I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. As I have said,
any legislation will be the decision for the next Prime Minister.
It remains a manifesto commitment to build the holocaust memorial
so that we remember. On the location, 90% of the gardens will
remain unchanged and open. Less than 10% will be used by the
memorial, which will be open to the public. That is why
Government believe that it fitted within the existing
legislation. That is also why we will be reviewing the court case
to see what it says, and our response will be in place
accordingly.
Mr Speaker
The proof is in the pudding.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
May I say to the Minister that this is not a party political
matter—it goes across the parties? We want this centre to be
built and we want it to be built sooner rather than later. My
father fought in the last war and was one of the Royal Engineers
who went to Germany for the clear-up. He never recovered from
what he saw there at the end of the war. I have this plea to the
Minister. People will be disturbed by this. I was sorry to see
that, under the contract that had been let, all the materials
will be brought in and the waste taken away by road, but it would
be much better for the residents and for the people in London if
it were all carried on the river. Will the Minister consider
that?
As Minister for London, I will happily look at that last request,
because we are significantly underusing our river. I agree with
the hon. Gentleman when he talks about the cross-party nature of
this project. We do need to get on and build this memorial, for
this generation of holocaust survivors and for future
generations.
(Harrow East) (Con)
I declare my interest as co-chairman of the all-party group for
the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. It is absolutely
crucial that we get the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre
alongside Parliament as quickly as possible. I know that, in
answering this urgent question, my hon. Friend cannot bind the
hands of his successor, but can he not do the sensible thing and,
having got the support of the current Prime Minister, consult
both candidates, one of whom will be Prime Minister in September?
If they both agree that we should bring forward the legislation,
will the Minister bring it forward to us on 5 September?
I will be speaking to both candidates about a number of things,
including this matter. I was supposed to be getting a briefing on
this from my team today, as I am new in post. Clearly, there is a
lot to bring to this issue, and we need to make sure that our
candidates understand the feeling of the House.
(Manchester, Withington)
(Lab)
A report from the Community Security Trust was released last week
on antisemitism in the pandemic. It outlined a very disturbing
case in Manchester, my home town, of Jewish people being targeted
for spreading covid. Fortunately, the perpetrator was arrested
and jailed for six months, but does that not just demonstrate
that this does not go away and that there is always an excuse?
That is why it is absolutely crucial that we have the national
centre to educate future generations on this issue.
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The reason that we are
talking about Victoria Tower Gardens is that it is next to
Parliament. This is not a London memorial. We are talking about a
national memorial, sitting next to the centre of our democracy.
He is absolutely right: antisemitism does not start and stop
within the M25.
(Gainsborough) (Con)
Of course we should have a holocaust memorial and of course we
should have a proper holocaust museum. It is not surprising that
Westminster City Council turned this application down, or,
indeed, that the Government have lost the case in the High Court
and then in the Court of Appeal. Based on questions that I and
others asked, the Act of Parliament dating from the beginning of
the 20th century is very clear that the park was laid down as a
park. May I suggest a compromise? Given that the debate is
carrying on and on, the obvious solution is to have a holocaust
memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament as
everybody wants, and similar to the other memorials such as the
Buxton and Pankhurst memorials. It could be a potent symbol, it
could blend in with the park and the surroundings and there would
be no controversy about it.
The controversy has been about the underground learning centre
and all the disruption it would cause. The difficulty with the
underground learning centre in that very constrained site is that
it would be nothing like the proper memorials and museums in
Washington and Berlin. Have the memorial in the gardens and a
proper museum at the Imperial War museum.
As I have said, the education centre would be complementary to
the Imperial War Museum. We believe that the plans are consistent
with the provisions of the London County Council (Improvements)
Act 1900, and that is why we are disappointed by the result of
the court case. The design is sensitive to the existing gardens
and would allow residents and visitors alike to continue to
benefit from the green space, but we will clearly reflect on the
court decision.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
The memorial has to be near Parliament. At a time when
antisemitism was commonplace, in the 1930s in British society,
Victor Cazalet MP was the first person in the House to warn of
the coming holocaust. Jack Macnamara MP visited Dachau and when
he came back he said that we had to fight Hitler. Rob Bernays MP
was called “a filthy Jew” by Hitler’s friends in Germany. All
three of them lost their lives and have shields on the walls of
the Chamber. This is intimately about Parliament, democracy and
antisemitism, and we have to put those things together.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his usual erudite approach. There
is not a lot I can add, but he is right about the need to site
the memorial next to the centre of our democracy.
(West Bromwich East)
(Con)
One hundred and seventeen holocaust survivors were interviewed
about the memorial, and it is upsetting that, because of the
delays, many will not have the opportunity to see the opening.
The holocaust is a part of British history, from the
Kindertransport and the liberation of Bergen-Belsen to welcoming
survivors. It is not always a good story, so the memorial has to
be built beside Parliament to remind every future Government of
the history. Can the Minister confirm that the Government will do
all they can to build the memorial as soon as possible?
The memorial for the holocaust remains a manifesto commitment of
the Government and we will clearly look at the court decision and
work out where to go next. It will be a decision for the next
Prime Minister, but my hon. Friend has fought for this and spoken
out about the holocaust on several occasions, and I know that she
will continue to do so.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I get the impression that the Minister greatly understands the
concerns of everybody in the Chamber, but can he outline what
discussions have taken place with members of the Jewish community
to underline the fact that this discouraging news will not deter
the Government from taking appropriate steps to facilitate a
central permanent holocaust memorial centre to show that this
great nation—the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland—is united in ensuring that future generations understand
the importance of remembering the holocaust as a horrifically sad
and bloody lesson for everyone?
I always commend the hon. Gentleman for his work on religious
freedom and tackling religious hatred, including antisemitism.
With the court’s decision being so fresh, it is early to have had
those conversations with the Jewish community, but this is the
first signal of our intention to stick to our manifesto
commitment of building a holocaust memorial. As the newly
installed Minister for faith, I will have talks with the Jewish
community across the summer.
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