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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of natural heritage organisations being ineligible for National Heritage Lottery funding on biodiversity and conservation.

Natural heritage organisations are eligible for funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Since its inception in 1994, the Fund has awarded grants to nearly 4000 land and biodiversity projects, totalling over £1.78 billion.

On 17^th July 2020, the Fund announced that grants of £1.19 million have helped to keep Wildlife Trusts in England and Wales open throughout lockdown, providing vital safe spaces for people to get outdoors, exercise and enjoy nature. This includes many grants to projects aimed at biodiversity and conservation, such as a grant of £49,700 to the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust.

Natural heritage organisations are also welcome to apply to the Heritage Emergency Fund, a £50million funding support package launched by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help organisations in stabilising their operations and managing risks to heritage during the Covid-19 crisis.