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Churches and Religious Buildings: Communities
13 May 2025
Lead MP
Marsha De Cordova
Battersea
Lab
Responding Minister
Jim McMahon
Tags
Community Security
Word Count: 13567
Other Contributors: 20
At a Glance
Marsha De Cordova raised concerns about churches and religious buildings: communities in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The reduction in the grant scheme affects 6% of claims but has huge impacts on churches and local economies. She calls for stability and certainty for these heritage treasures beyond annual extensions.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Churches like St Mary’s in Battersea do valuable work without state funding but with significant community benefits. The listed places of worship grant scheme, reduced from £42 million to £23 million a year, is jeopardising the future of many projects and affecting communities.
Adam Dance
LD
Yeovil
Described the importance of churches in Yeovil, including Holy Trinity's baby bank and St John’s Gone Fishing café. Highlighted that nearly half of all grade I listed buildings are historic churches with over 900 at risk, urging the Government to continue the grant scheme without caps.
As co-lead on church buildings for the Church of England, he highlights the vast network of 16,000 buildings and the lack of central church funding compared to other European countries.
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Holy Trinity Clapham runs a significant food bank during the pandemic, supports ex-offenders, works with domestic violence survivors, and offers marriage preparation courses. The church has raised £6 million for its restoration project but faces an additional £1 million due to VAT recoupment issues under the new grant scheme cap.
Brian Mathew
LD
Melksham and Devizes
Stressed the importance of continuing the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, noting its renewal every few years. Emphasised that any reduction in the scheme would impact deprived communities severely and result in neglect or closure of historically significant buildings.
Derby North
Emphasised the social and community benefits provided by religious buildings in Derby, including food banks and educational programmes.
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
Thanked the right hon. Member for Salisbury for securing the debate and highlighted local soft play centres in Brecon that are much needed by young parents.
Gregory Stafford
Con
Farnham and Bordon
Asked about reassurances from the Government regarding projects already started that exceed the £25,000 cap.
Jim McMahon
Lab
Oldham West and Royton
Reiterated that any future funding decisions are part of the spending review process but acknowledged the importance of places of worship in communities.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Northern Ireland
Highlighted the importance of churches and religious buildings for community support and spiritual life in different countries like Morocco and Egypt. Discussed the importance of protecting religious buildings and highlighted examples from Egypt and Jordan.
Joe Morris
Lab
Hexham
Emphasised the significance of churches in his constituency for community cohesion, resilience against natural disasters, and tourism.
John Glen
Con
Salisbury
Glen highlighted the leadership role played by rectors and vicars in raising funds for church maintenance, noting that Holy Trinity Clapham is £1 million short due to changes in the listed places of worship scheme. Acknowledges the point made by the hon. Lady about community activities in different places, emphasizing that the range and depth of church impact varies according to the needs of each community. Suggested that the Minister should utilise in-year underspends to fund ongoing projects which have been impacted by VAT issues.
Lewisham Deptford
Asked the Minister to respond specifically to three points: making the scheme permanent, prioritising support for ongoing projects and considering a capital fund. Acknowledged the significance of churches and religious buildings in providing community services such as breakfast clubs, warm spaces, and cultural events. Emphasised the importance of protecting these places.
Martin Vickers
Con
Brigg and Immingham
Celebrated VE Day with a civic service at a Catholic church, highlighting the role of churches in national and civic life. Emphasized the need for quick appointment of Church of England leadership. Discussed the historical and cultural significance of churches in Grimsby and Lincolnshire.
Cheltenham
Congratulated the lead MPs for securing the debate, highlighting the importance of community support through places of worship. Discussed the historical significance and ongoing importance of these institutions in providing refuge, service, and solidarity. Stressed the importance of churches as economic drivers, contributing £235 million to local economies and supporting 6,000 full-time jobs. Also raised concerns about the repair bill for churches and their closure risks.
Tiverton and Minehead
Gilmour expressed concern about 969 churches at risk and questioned whether the Government would commit to making the listed places of worship scheme permanent without a cap.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Stressed the importance of preserving religious buildings as more than just physical structures and highlighted their role in community service and interfaith cooperation.
Ashley Fox
Con
Bridgwater
Raises concerns about the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Stockland Bristol being £300,000 short for repairs and conversion into a community hub due to changes in the listed worship scheme.
Geoffrey Cox
Con
Torridge and Tavistock
Cox agreed with the concerns about the closure of churches in rural parishes and emphasised the importance of finding community purposes for these buildings.
Terry Jermy
Lab
South West Norfolk
Noted the presence of 138 listed places of worship in his constituency, praised their community roles, and mentioned government support for restoration work.
North East Fife
Noted that churches divested by the Church of Scotland continue to serve as community hubs and need Government support even if not used for religious purposes.
Government Response
Jim McMahon
The Minister for Local Government and English Devolution
Government Response
Welcoming the debate's focus on religious buildings' importance in communities, the Minister acknowledges their invaluable contribution to the built landscape of the nation. He highlights visits by the Minister for Faith to places like the Shah Jahan mosque in Woking and the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha gurdwara in Birmingham, showcasing how these structures serve wider community needs beyond religious practices. Outlined various funding sources available including £50.9 million in 2025-26 for the protection of faith communities, £18 million for Jewish community protective security grants, £29.4 million for mosques' protection and £3.5 million for other places of worship. Mentioned ongoing efforts to rebuild fractured communities through a £1.5 billion investment over ten years in 75 areas across the UK.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.