Holocaust Memorial Bill
- We must do everything we can to ensure that the Holocaust is
never forgotten and to fight antisemitism and all forms of hatred
and prejudice in our society.
- Our Holocaust Memorial Bill will support the building of a
national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in the heart of
our democracy, next to the Houses of Parliament. It will be a
focal point for national remembrance of the Holocaust, dedicated
to the six million Jewish men, women and children and all other
victims of the Nazis and their collaborators.
What does the Bill do?
- The Holocaust Memorial Bill enables the Government to deliver
on the longstanding commitment to build the planned Holocaust
Memorial and Learning Centre. Located next to the Houses of
Parliament, the Memorial will serve as a powerful reminder to the
whole nation of the Holocaust and its victims.
- The Holocaust Memorial Bill:
-
authorises expenditure on the construction,
maintenance and operation of the Holocaust Memorial and
Learning Centre
-
disapplies the relevant sections of the London County
Council (Improvements) Act 1900, ensuring that this
legislation is no longer an obstacle preventing the building
of a memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens.
- This Memorial will rightly sit at the heart of our democracy,
next to Parliament, and will act as an inspiration to the whole
country for generations to come.
Territorial extent and application
- The Bill will extend to England and Wales and apply to
England.
Key facts
- Victoria Tower Gardens will remain open to the public, with
only a small area taken for the Holocaust Memorial. The
design is sensitive to the heritage and existing uses of Victoria
Tower Gardens. The Memorial and Learning Centre, much of which
will be underground, will take up approximately 7.5 per cent of
the park, while making enhancements to the remainder of the
gardens that will help all visitors, including better pathways
and improved access to existing memorials. The 1900 Act only
applies to Victoria Tower Gardens, no other park.
- The Imperial War Museum (IWM) supports the Government's plans
for the Memorial. The Chair of the IWM Board sits on the UK
Holocaust Memorial Foundation which is advising the Government on
delivery.
- Incidents of antisemitism, recorded by the Community Security
Trust, rise in correlation to any escalations of violence in
Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The Metropolitan Police
recorded an over 1,000 per cent rise in antisemitic incidents
following Hamas's attack on Israel last year, compared to the
previous year.
