Repatriation of human remains
Dear Sir or Madam
REPATRIATION OF HUMAN REMAINS
I am carrying out some research into the storage, retention and repatriation of non-European ethnological human remains held in UK museums. To assist with this could you please let me have the following information under the Freedom of Information Act. All of these questions relate to human remains that are under 1,000 years of age:
1. How many non-European human remains do you have in your collection? If you do not have the exact number, then please provide an approximation based on your normal method of counting.
2. How many requests for the repatriation of non-European human remains did you receive from communities, individuals or institutions outside of Europe prior to the Human Tissue Act 2004 coming into force? Of these how many were approved?
3. How many requests for the repatriation of human remains have you had from communities, individuals or institutions outside of Europe since the Human Tissue Act 2004 came into force?
4. Of these requests, how many were:
a. Approved in full, with all of the requested remains being returned to the communities/individuals in question.
b. Approved in part with some of the requested remains being returned.
c. Not approved.
d. Still awaiting a decision.
5. For those requests which were not approved please provide a copy of the final decision letter setting out the reasons.
Thanking you in advance for your assistance in this matter.
Yours faithfully
Maciej Wójtowicz
Roger Dixon is out of the office until 10 December. If you wish to make a
request under Freedom of Information or Data Protection Legislation please
contact
Mark Wilkinson
Head of Human Resources
National Museums Northern Ireland
Tel; 02890 395049
Dear Maciej Wójtowicz
Freedom of Information Act
Please see below National Museums Northern Ireland's response to your request for information made under the terms of the above Act
Qu. 1. How many non-European human remains do you have in your collection? If you do not have the exact number, then please provide an approximation based on your normal method of counting.
Response: 19 objects containing human remains
Qu.2. How many requests for the repatriation of non-European human remains did you receive from communities, individuals or institutions outside of Europe prior to the Human Tissue Act 2004 coming into force? Of these how many were approved?
Response: One request received prior to 2004
One request approved
Qu. 3. How many requests for the repatriation of human remains have you had from communities, individuals or institutions outside of Europe since the Human Tissue Act 2004 came into force
Response: None
Qu. 4. Of these requests, how many were:
a. Approved in full, with all of the requested remains being returned to the communities/individuals in question.
b. Approved in part with some of the requested remains being returned.
c. Not approved.
d. Still awaiting a decision.
Response Not applicable
Qu.5. For those requests which were not approved please provide a copy of the final decision letter setting out the reasons.
Response Not applicable
If you have any queries relating to our response please contact Roger Dixon, Information Manager, [email address] .
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