Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to support Christian communities in (a) urban and (b) rural areas in England.

This Government’s commitment to valuing the contribution which Christians make to society is evident through our engagement with a wide range of churches at national, regional and local levels. MHCLG funds several cohesion initiatives which directly support religiously diverse communities across England, including the Near Neighbours programme which is a delivery arm of the Church of England’s Church Urban Fund. Urban and rural Christian communities may also be the beneficiaries of other programmes across government, including the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which provides VAT relief for repairs to our historic places of worship, including churches, which are central to both our local and national life.