EDM 1277: All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations report

That this House notes the publication of the Laying Ancestors to Rest report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations, which highlights the impact of the continued retention, display, and sale of African ancestral remains in UK institutions and private collections; recognises the cultural, spiritual, and ethical significance of these remains to descendant communities and the ongoing distress caused by their continued possession outside their places of origin; expresses concern over reports that African ancestral remains continue to be sold on online marketplaces and through private collectors with insufficient legal oversight; calls on the Government to implement the report's recommendations, including to amend legislation to ban the sale and public display of human remains, introduce a clear, transparent process for the repatriation of African ancestral remains, and fund provenance research to identify the origins of remains in UK institutions; further calls on the Government to facilitate discussions with descendant communities on the creation of memorials or reburial sites for unidentifiable remains; urges museums, universities, and other institutions to adopt ethical policies on the storage, display, and restitution of African ancestral remains, in consultation with affected communities; and supports greater international cooperation to address the colonial legacy of human remains retention and ensure that affected communities are at the centre of decision-making processes regarding their ancestors.