Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Historic Places of Worship

Thursday 28 November 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The national Church institutions have invested 11 million in the Buildings for Mission fund to provide money for repairs and grants to parishes.
  • St John's church in Bromsgrove is preparing to undertake urgent work on its spire, with an anticipated project cost of roughly 452,000.
  • The listed places of worship grant scheme could benefit St Andrew's church in upgrading its heating system.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rosie Wrighting Lab Kettering
Religion & Faith
Context

The Church Commissioners are responsible for restoring parish churches and cathedrals. There is a concern about the backlog of works needed.

Question

What progress the Church Commissioners have made on reducing the backlog of works to restore parish churches and cathedrals?

Answer from Marsha de Cordova

The national Church institutions have invested £11 million in the Buildings for Mission fund, which provides money for repairs, specialist advice and grants to parishes of up to £12,000 for small-scale urgent work. The fund can also be used to pay for essential improvements such as disability access, toilets or a community kitchen.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not address the specific backlog reduction progress.

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Q2 Bradley Thomas Con Bromsgrove
Religion & Faith
Context

St John's church in Bromsgrove has had to raise hundreds of thousands for the upkeep and maintenance of its spire. The listed places of worship grant scheme is key to preserving such churches.

Question

What conversations have taken place between the Government and the Church regarding the preservation of that scheme?

Answer from Marsha de Cordova

St John's church in Bromsgrove is a perfect example because, having raised the funds, it is preparing to undertake urgent work to its spire, with an anticipated project cost of roughly £452,000. The scheme has paid out £317 million since 2001 and assisted over 13,000 places. It currently receives around 7,000 applications per annum and has a budget of £42 million.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not address conversations with the Government about preserving the scheme.

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Q3 Rosie Wrighting Lab Kettering
Religion & Faith
Context

St Andrew's parish church and Holy Trinity church in Kettering are both listed buildings that provide vital community services. The listed places of worship grant scheme is due to expire next year, causing uncertainty.

Question

Will my hon. Friend join me in thanking the many churches across the UK for the work they do? What plans are there for the future of the scheme?

Answer from Marsha de Cordova

My hon. Friend is a strong advocate for churches in her constituency. I am pleased to hear that St Andrew's church is upgrading its heating system and could benefit from some funding through the listed places of worship grant scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not provide plans or commitments regarding the future of the scheme.

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