Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of granting locally elected politicians greater powers to protect objects and monuments of local significance to their area that are in public ownership.

The Government believes it is important that local planning authorities are able to protect objects and monuments of local significance to their area. Our planning practice guidance encourages local planning authorities to create lists for local heritage assets which should have greater protection under the planning system. In September, building on this, the Secretary of State appointed an independent adviser to drive forward a campaign to mobilise communities across England to nominate heritage assets for inclusion in these local heritage lists. MHCLG is also providing £700,000 of funding to support this initiative.