Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what new models of financing the repair and maintenance of church buildings are being considered by the Government as part of the pilot scheme under the Taylor Review on the sustainability of English churches and cathedrals.

The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals, was an independent review that considered how these iconic buildings can become more sustainable and ensure that repair works are undertaken in a timely way. The subsequent pilots are testing, over the next two years, the new model of support proposed by the review.

This involves:

how effective the roles of a Fabric Support Officer and a Community Support Officer can be in both ensuring regular repairs are undertaken and in opening up wider links between listed places of worship and the wider community;

the level of need for a 'minor repairs' and a 'major repairs' fund;

how best practice can be better shared between owners of listed places of worship in ensuring these buildings are properly maintained;

how the Taylor Review model can be applied across all faiths and denominations