HC Deb 24 March 2004 vol 419 cc878-9W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on the future of conservation and restoration grants to(a) English cathedrals, (b) English parish churches and (c) other religious buildings. [162839]

Mr. Caborn

The Government channel their funding for the built historic environment through English Heritage, which is the largest source of non-Lottery grant funding for listed cathedrals and churches in England.

English Heritage runs a Cathedral Repairs Grant Scheme for Church of England and Roman Catholic Cathedrals which are listed grade I or II* and/or are situated within a conservation area. A budget of £2 million was made available for this scheme in financial year 2003–04 to assist with urgent repairs to high-level roofs and masonry to keep the cathedral building structurally stable and weather-tight. Grant offers have already been made under this scheme against a budget of £2 million for 2004–05. Following a review of all its grant schemes, and now that the majority of big repair projects to cathedrals in England have been completed, English Heritage has earmarked a budget of –3 million for this scheme in 2005–2008.

Together with the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage funds the Repair Grants for Places of Worship in England 2002–05, which welcomes applications from all faith groups and denominations, both Christian and non-Christian, provided they are formally constituted religious organisations. £30 million was made available in financial year 2003–04 for grants for urgent repairs to listed places of worship in regular use. This scheme has benefited a large number of parish churches in England.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport administers the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, an interim scheme introduced in the 2001 Budget, which has returned in grant aid the difference between five per cent and the actual amount of Value Added Tax (VAT) paid on eligible repairs and maintenance. In his Budget announcement on 17 March 2004, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that claims for all eligible works carried out on and after 1 April 2004 will receive grant payments under the scheme to cover the full amount of VAT paid. Unless a permanent VAT reduced rate is achieved in the meantime as part of negotiations on a review of the EU rules governing VAT reduced rates, this scheme will continue until 31 March 2006. Listed places of worship belonging to all formally constituted religious organisations are eligible to apply to the scheme. Around 4,500 listed places of worship throughout the United Kingdom have so far benefited from the scheme, which has paid out over £18 million.