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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the potential withdrawal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on the ability of church buildings to host the 35,000 social action community projects operating in Anglican churches across England.

The Department monitors the implementation and impact of the grant scheme through the regular reporting of the grant administrator. Since 2010, the grant scheme has returned over £350 million to listed places of worship.

Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process. We have made no specific assessment in the terms set by the Lord Bishop, but we are fully aware of the importance of the scheme to all listed places of worship, including Anglican churches across England and the rest of the UK.