Title
Holocaust (Stolen Art) Restitution Bill
10:00 am
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire, Liberal Democrat)
The hon. Member for Wantage says that this is a small but important Bill. I would say that it is a simple but important Bill, because, for those whom it assists, it is of tremendous importance in righting a wrong that dates right back to Nazism and the second world war. Nazism nearly destroyed Europe, and it was thanks to the courage of the British people and our unassailable ally, the USA, that Hitler was ultimately defeated. Nevertheless, the Bill illustrates the reach of Nazism and the damage that was done by that appalling creed. There are many families, including my own, who were permanently affected by the consequences of the second world war. It is a matter of honour for me to serve on this Committee and to see a collective consensus across parties which is far more important than any partisan dispute.
I am involved with the Holocaust Education Trust because I think that we must never forget what happens if good men sit and do nothing when evil is perpetrated. This restitution draws a line in the sand which indicates that Britain, and, indeed, no right-thinking country, will ever again allow that kind of injustice to be perpetrated, either in the name of democracy or of humanity. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Hendon, who has made a powerful statement in simple terms, which I am sure we all agree with, that Nazism, injustice and inhumanity must never be allowed to triumph.