§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she intends to announce details of the grant scheme for listed places of worship; [17640]
(2) if she has selected a preferred bidder to become operator of the grant scheme for listed places of worship. [17641]
§ Mr. Caborn[holding answer 23 November 2001]: The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme is an interim scheme which will return in grant aid the difference between 5 per cent. and the actual amount spent on VAT on eligible repairs and maintenance to listed places of worship. It is intended to bridge the two-year gap leading up to the 2003 review by the European Commission of the permitted reduced VAT rates in the sixth VAT Directive. Full details of the scheme operator, its criteria and application forms will be available in early December.