← Back to House of Commons Debates
Heritage Assets: London
23 March 2023
Lead MP
Nickie Aiken
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
TaxationCulture, Media & Sport
Other Contributors: 1
At a Glance
Nickie Aiken raised concerns about heritage assets: london in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The MP emphasised the importance of heritage for tourism, highlighting examples like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. She expressed concerns about the vulnerability of historical sites in her constituency as per Historic England's annual at-risk register, citing specific instances such as Bevis Marks synagogue and Simpson’s Tavern. The speech also addressed ongoing disputes over development versus preservation, particularly in Soho with pavement licensing schemes and gas lamps replacement. Nickie Aiken advocated for preserving heritage assets to support tourism and cultural institutions like theatres and museums that are vital to the local economy.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
He acknowledged Strangford's historical significance and thanked Nickie Aiken for her support.
Government Response
The Minister highlighted the importance of heritage sites in UK tourism, mentioning over 3900 listed buildings in the Cities of London and Westminster. She discussed ongoing discussions between Arts Council England and English National Opera regarding funding cuts and praised the Queen’s theatre as a beneficiary of levelling-up grants. The minister acknowledged tensions between development and heritage preservation but emphasised that local planning authorities must consider national policy guidelines to protect heritage sites, with some cases requiring intervention from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. She praised campaigns like the Gasketeers’ efforts to preserve gas lamps and noted ongoing work by Historic England on at-risk sites. The minister also highlighted Government funding support for cultural institutions and theatre scenes in London through Arts Council England's programmes and the culture recovery fund during the pandemic.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.