Slave trade audit

15 June 2022

Dear

ATISN 16376 – Slave trade audit

Information requested

Thank you for your request for information which I received on 7 June 2022.  I will answer the questions that you have raised in order:

Q.1      How much money was allocated to the creation of the "Written Statement: The Slave Trade and the British Empire: An Audit of Commemoration in Wales" report?

The report cost £19,050 to publish and the task and finish group were unpaid volunteers

Q.2      How were the opportunities to join the task and finish group organised?

The First Minister asked Gaynor Legall to Chair the Group and members were invited to join for their specialist knowledge of the Atlantic Slave Trade and the historical presence of black people in Wales. 

Q.3      What % of the committee were under 30?

This information is not held.

Q.4      How much did the task and finish group receive to complete this work?

The group were unpaid volunteers. There were no travel and subsistence payments and meetings were held online.

Q.5      Is the report legally binding?

No.

Q.6      What is the outcome of the second stage of the report, as detailed on p14?

The second stage of the audit has not been concluded but is underway. 

However, Set in Stone? A report on who gets remembered in public spaces (senedd.wales) was published in March 2021.  The 22 designated historic asset descriptions for listed buildings and scheduled monuments noted in the Audit were amended by Cadw in November 2021.  A document on “Guidance on Public Commemoration in Wales” to assist public bodies in making decisions on new and existing commemorations (statues, plaques, street names etc.) is currently being drafted by Cadw and expected to go to public consultation later this year.

Q.7 If the second stage has not already started, when will it start?

Please see the answer to question 6.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response.  Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at the Information Rights Unit, Welsh Government,

Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales  

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.   

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  Information Commissioner’s Office,

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely