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Human Remains (Prohibition of Sale, Purchase and Advertising) Bill

EDM (Early Day Motion) 2719: tabled on 02 February 2026

Tabled in the 2024-26 session.

This motion has been signed by 9 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted.

Motion text

That this House notes with concern the increasing reports of human remains being sold through online marketplaces, in-person auctions, and curiosity and antique shops; recognises the serious ethical and moral implications of such practices, particularly when the origins of the remains cannot be determined; acknowledges that current UK legislation, including the Human Tissue Act 2004, does not adequately regulate the sale, purchase or advertising of human remains; welcomes the work of professional and sector bodies, including the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology, in highlighting the harms caused by the commercial trade in human remains; supports measures to explicitly prohibit the commercial sale, purchase and advertising of human remains, including those of archaeological and historical significance; and calls on the Government to make time for the Human Remains (Prohibition of Sale, Purchase and Advertising) Bill to be debated.