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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to provide funding to (a) Romford and (b) other historic charter market towns for the promotion of their (i) history, (ii) heritage and (iii) identity.

Heritage plays a vital role in communities across the United Kingdom. It makes places great to live and work in; helps to attract tourism and supports the local economy; and gives people pride in their community. The Government, our national agencies, local authorities, and the brilliant people working and volunteering in the sector all play a role in protecting and promoting our shared heritage.

The Government has invested £95 million in Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones scheme, which targets 67 high streets across England to encourage economic growth and increase pride in place. Additionally, the £82 million Museum Estate and Development Fund, an open-access capital fund for non-national accredited museums in England, provides funding to undertake vital infrastructure and urgent maintenance work.

We encourage heritage-related projects to consider applying to relevant schemes available through our Arm’s-Length Bodies and partners where eligible, including Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.