Sarah McCarthy-Fry (PPS (John Healey, Financial Secretary), HM Treasury; Portsmouth North, Labour)

If she will make a statement on Government support for commemorations of the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade.

David Lammy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Culture), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Tottenham, Labour)

As the Prime Minister's statement on 27 November made clear, the Government fully support plans to commemorate the 2007 bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade. The Deputy Prime Minister's advisory group on the bicentenary is due to meet tomorrow to discuss plans, which include a wide range of national and community-based events in museums, archives and other cultural organisations.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry (PPS (John Healey, Financial Secretary), HM Treasury; Portsmouth North, Labour)

I was in Ghana in September and I visited the Cape Coast slavery centre where the full horror of that shameful episode in our history hit home. May I draw the Minister's attention to what the United Nations has referred to as modern-day slavery? Bonded labour affects about 27 million people around the world. Does the Minister have any plans to raise awareness of that while we commemorate the 200th anniversary of legislation to abolish slavery?

David Lammy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Culture), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Tottenham, Labour)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question. As I am sure she knows, the Deputy Prime Minister met Kofi Annan and, during their discussions, they talked about what slavery has meant for Africa and the Caribbean nations. That is why a UN resolution has been introduced. I am pleased about the work that the community in Hull has done with Ghana as we prepare for next year. My hon. Friend is right to focus on the awful trade that is happening now. As she knows, colleagues in the Home Office are clear about redoubling their efforts in relation to human trafficking, and we have a new centre dedicated to bringing together all the work on it. She will also be aware of the work of Anti-Slavery International to highlight that throughout next year. She is right that there is a serious problem throughout the country that we must all redouble our efforts to deal with.

Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)

Public opinion on the slave trade would not have been changed as early as it was without the meticulous research and lifelong campaigning of Thomas Clarkson of Wisbech in my constituency. While the bicentenary celebrations rightly focus on the parliamentary efforts of William Wilberforce and his connection with Hull, does the Minister agree that that should not be to the exclusion of other key abolitionists and their links to other constituencies?

David Lammy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Culture), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Tottenham, Labour)

With close proximity to Peterborough, I am happy to put on record the work of the people of Wisbech, and particularly Thomas Clarkson who, alongside Wilberforce and people such as Equiano and Ignatio Sancho, did a lot to bring the impact of the slave trade to the attention of the people of that era. Thomas Clarkson was certainly a key figure in that movement.

Underlying what the hon. Gentleman said—and why next year is so important—is that supporting the clamour for the abolition of the slave trade were many ordinary men and women who petitioned, marched and boycotted in towns and villages throughout the country, and it is right that they should be remembered. Many Christian people were involved in that, particularly Quakers, who led the fight many years before others had caught on to it.

Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East, Labour)

Bristol welcomes the support that the Government have given to its efforts to commemorate Abolition 2000, including the £770,000 that the Heritage Lottery Fund recently gave to the British Empire and Commonwealth museum for a two-year exhibition. On 5 December, Bristol city council passed a motion calling for a national African remembrance day, similar to the holocaust memorial day, to be commemorated in August each year. What discussions are taking place at Government level about whether we should have such a national day of remembrance?

David Lammy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Culture), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Tottenham, Labour)

I am aware of the work that has been going on in Bristol, and I am grateful for all that my hon. Friend has been doing to lead and steer some of that work and also to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which has given grants amounting to more than £21 million to organisations large and small across the country. Discussions about that memorial day continue. She will understand that there are differences of opinion about whether the date should be the one in August or the March date. We continue to talk to the members of the advisory group about that, and I think that that debate must continue into next year.