Listed Historic Buildings

Lord Bishop of St Albans Excerpts

Tuesday 14th January 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[The Lord Bishop of St Albans]

To ask His Majesty’s Government, following Historic England’s publication of the latest Heritage at Risk Register, what plans they have to ensure adequate support for listed historic buildings.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross) (Lab)]

The Government are committed to protecting the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations. DCMS and its arm’s-length bodies deliver funding to the heritage sector, including £8 million last year to rescue buildings on the Heritage at Risk Register. In 2024, 124 historic places from the register were saved, bringing treasured heritage assets back to life. Some 150 buildings were added, which highlights the need for continued support for our most vulnerable heritage.

[The Lord Bishop of St Albans]

My Lords, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme comes to an end in April. It represents a group of buildings that host hundreds of thousands of weddings, baptisms and funerals, right at the heart of their communities—and 80% of those buildings host some 31,000 social action projects, such as warm spaces and food banks. Will the Minister ask her ministerial colleagues whether they would be prepared to answer the correspondence from the Church of England on the future of this scheme? Would she personally be willing to meet my right reverend friend the Bishop of Bristol and her team to discuss this as a matter of urgency?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I would be very happy to meet the right reverend Prelate’s colleague, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol. The Government are very clear that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has been incredibly valuable in assisting more than 13,000 listed places of worship to recover VAT or repairs through the grants, totalling over £317 million since it was established more than 20 years ago.

On the outcome of any discussions about the future of the project, departmental budgets have been set following the Budget announcement in the autumn, and the outcome of the departmental business planning process, including any implications for this scheme, will be announced soon. However, I shall follow up the letter referred to in the right reverend Prelate’s question.