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Historic Churches: Covid-19
16 July 2020
Lead MP
Jim Shannon
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
Community SecurityCulture, Media & Sport
Other Contributors: 2
At a Glance
Jim Shannon raised concerns about historic churches: covid-19 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 for Strangford expressed his concern over the closure of St Margaret’s church and its potential impact on both religious worship and tourism. He highlighted the rich history of churches in his constituency, such as Greyabbey and the Dominican friary, emphasising their cultural significance. Shannon stressed the importance of ensuring these historic sites remain functional places of worship rather than deteriorating into mere historical monuments. He acknowledged the significant loss of revenue due to the pandemic and called for financial assistance from the Government’s culture fund to help churches maintain operations and continue as vibrant spiritual centres.
Tom Hunt
Lab
Ipswich
The hon. Member for Ipswich discussed the impact of church closures on community services in his constituency, citing examples like St Mary-at-the-Quay and St Stephen’s church. He emphasised the need to find new uses for historic churches to ensure they remain central to local communities as they recover from the pandemic.
Nigel Huddleston
Con
Telford
The Minister highlighted existing Government support measures such as the listed places of worship grant scheme and emergency funding for heritage organisations, including a £50 million Heritage Fund. He also mentioned ongoing dialogue with religious groups to address their challenges during the pandemic.
Government Response
The Minister acknowledged the concerns raised by MPs about the impact of the pandemic on historic churches and places of worship. He detailed existing support measures such as the listed places of worship grant scheme, emergency funds for heritage organisations, charity support fund, and cultural sector funding announced by the Chancellor. The Minister committed to ongoing dialogue with religious groups to address their challenges during the pandemic and reiterated the Government’s commitment to supporting historic churches.
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Assessment & feedback
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