§ 25. Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)(Con)If he will make a statement on recent progress towards reducing VAT on church repairs. [145852]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy)The Church of England VAT group and other faith groups were delighted to see in the recent pre-Budget report that the listed places of worship grant scheme has been approved to run for a further period up to the end of March 2006. The current EU Commission proposals in respect of the wider VAT review have been rejected by the European Council of Finance Ministers, bringing about a temporary halt, but it is hoped that the Commission will revise its proposals.
§ Miss McIntoshI thank the Minister for that reply. Will he convey my warmest congratulations to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Sir Stuart Bell), on his well deserved knighthood?
Will the Minister join me and the Second Church Estates Commissioner in making representations on reducing VAT on church repairs and also on the preservation of burial sites such as the Thornborough henges, which have enormous religious and archeological value and which could be thrown away for ever because of a quarrying application?
§ Mr. LammyI know that the hon. Lady's is one of the strongest voices in Parliament on this issue. The campaign continues, a number of MEPs convey their wish to continue to lobby in Europe, there is a letter-writing campaign by the Church, and the Second Church Estates Commissioner and I will use our best endeavours to keep up the pressure on this important issue.