Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what funding is available for church infrastructure projects.

The Church Commissioners provide financial and administrative support to cathedrals and dioceses. It is up to each self-governing church or cathedral to raise funds for development projects, and the National Church Institutions provide advice and support.

The changing priorities and declining budget of the Heritage Lottery Fund is a matter of concern, as this is where much fundraising money comes from; officers at national level continue to work with the Heritage Lottery Fund on the specific issues churches face. The HLF is currently reviewing its strategic priorities and I would encourage all Hon. members to consider sending in a response, making the importance of churches as community assets clear.

The Church of England has been in discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and HM Treasury about the current underspend of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, realocating the underspend would enable the Church to deliver a number of the recommendations in the Taylor Review.