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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will consider amending statutory planning guidance for listed buildings to permit the use of reproduction stone slates on Grade 1 listed churches.

Each listed building is different, and the government believes that decisions on which materials should be used should be a matter for the decision maker depending on the particular circumstances of each case. We therefore have no plans to issue statutory planning guidance in respect of the matter at this time.