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Written Question
Religious Buildings: Coronavirus
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of closing places of worship during the covid-19 pandemic on people’s (a) physical and (b) mental health; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Freedom of religion or belief and the freedom to worship are fundamental human rights.

That is why the decision to close our Places of Worship, alongside all other places where people gathered, was made with great reluctance in the very earliest stages of the pandemic.

Recognising the importance of our Places of Worship to the spiritual, mental and physical health of our communities, we worked hard to ensure that they were able to reopen as soon as possible.

Gradual reopening began in June 2020 when it was clear how risks to worshippers could be minimised and our Places of Worship were able to remain open for worshippers throughout the remainder of the pandemic.


Written Question
Devolution: England
Monday 4th December 2023

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his Department has for further devolution in England.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

As the Chancellor set out at Autumn Statement, we remain committed to ensuring that every part of England that wants a devolution deal by 2030 will have one.

In addition to the four new devolution deals and deeper devolution offer announced last week, we have committed to consider whether level 2 powers and funding can be devolved to county councils that meet key criteria set out in the Levelling Up White Paper. We are also in advanced discussions with Devon and Torbay about a devolution deal there.


Written Question
Independent Faith Engagement Review
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish the report from the Independent Faith Engagement Review.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer my Rt Hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 96636 on 30 November 2022.


Written Question
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Tuesday 15th June 2021

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he made of (a) the historical importance of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and (b) its potential viability as a commercial operation as part of his decision on the Whitechapel Bell Foundry site.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

The decision to grant planning permission for the proposals at Whitechapel Bell Foundry was published on 13 May. The Secretary of State did not make this decision. In reaching his decision, the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government took into account a wide range of issues, based on the detailed findings of the Planning Inspector who held a public local inquiry into the case. The published decision letter sets out in detail the full reasoning and conclusions and, like all decisions, is published on the gov.uk website.

As the decision is final, unless challenged through the courts, the Government has no further jurisdiction in this matter and I am unable to give any further comment on the merits of the proposals.


Written Question
Burlington House
Wednesday 17th March 2021

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) Society of Antiquaries,(b) Royal Astronomical Society, (c) Geological Society, (d) Linnean Society and (e) Ministers and officials in other Government departments on the future of the aforementioned learned societies at Burlington House.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

Five Learned Societies are tenants of New Burlington House, owned by the Department. Following a High Court settlement, all parties agreed in 2005 that rent would increase to market levels over a period of 80 years. The Department clarified that the referenced rent is limited to reflect cultural and educational purposes, rather than commercial office rent. A market rental valuation was agreed between the Department and the Learned Societies; mostly recently in 2019. The Learned Societies currently pay around 30% of this agreed market rent and will not pay full market rent until 2085.

The Department is sympathetic to the Societies’ position and is exploring whether there is a solution that can deliver value for taxpayers and help the Learned Societies to remain at New Burlington House, and an assessment of value will be made as part of an agreement. The Department has been discussing options with the Learned Societies and DCMS given their responsibility for policy in regards to culture, museums and heritage.


Written Question
Burlington House: Rents
Wednesday 17th March 2021

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the long-term (a) scientific and (b) academic effect of seeking to charge a commercial rent to non-commercial occupants of properties owned by his Department, with specific reference to the learned societies at Burlington House.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

Five Learned Societies are tenants of New Burlington House, owned by the Department. Following a High Court settlement, all parties agreed in 2005 that rent would increase to market levels over a period of 80 years. The Department clarified that the referenced rent is limited to reflect cultural and educational purposes, rather than commercial office rent. A market rental valuation was agreed between the Department and the Learned Societies; mostly recently in 2019. The Learned Societies currently pay around 30% of this agreed market rent and will not pay full market rent until 2085.

The Department is sympathetic to the Societies’ position and is exploring whether there is a solution that can deliver value for taxpayers and help the Learned Societies to remain at New Burlington House, and an assessment of value will be made as part of an agreement. The Department has been discussing options with the Learned Societies and DCMS given their responsibility for policy in regards to culture, museums and heritage.


Written Question
Collective Worship and Marriage: Coronavirus
Tuesday 10th November 2020

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the (a) covid-19 lockdown process on the human right to practice religion corporately and (b) ban on marriages during lockdown on the right to family life.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right, and one which underpins many of the others. The closure of our places of worship for communal prayer and for weddings is a step to be considered only in the most exceptional circumstances. However, our view is that this is a qualified right, subject to necessary limitations in the interest of public safety.

This includes the protection of health to protect the fundamental right to life of the population set out in Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 2 remains the overriding concern for the protection of the nation’s health as a whole.


Written Question
Collective Worship: Coronavirus
Tuesday 10th November 2020

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Places of Worship Taskforce was consulted on the announcement that communal worship will not be allowed during the new covid-19 lockdown.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Places of Worship Taskforce met on 2 November. In addition, roundtables have been held with the country’s major faith groups to discuss the now published guidance.

Discussions with our faith groups at these meetings, as they have been throughout the pandemic, have proved to be extremely helpful in sharing information with our faith groups, as well as hearing of their concerns. We are very grateful to all members of the Taskforce for their support and understanding during these difficult times for our faith communities, and we will continue to draw on the expertise of the Taskforce members.


Written Question
National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service
Tuesday 5th November 2019

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 14 March 2019 to Question 229098, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation (a) spending to date, (b) by the end of 2019 and (c) by the time construction of the memorial commences.

Answered by Jake Berry

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation is an independent advisory body on which there is no spend from the public purse other than in staff costs for civil servant support which are not disaggregated.


Written Question
National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre
Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he expects construction on the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to start; and how much has been allocated from the public purse before construction starts and (a) in total (b) for each of (i) Big Ideas, (ii) Dp9, (iii) Four Communications and (iv) Newgate Communications.

Answered by Jake Berry

I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the answer to Question UIN 293452 of 8 October for Big ideas and Four Communications. He is reminded that neither DP9 nor Newgate Communications receive public money for their services to the project. We expect construction of the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to begin in 2020, subject to planning permission.