Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on communities in South Suffolk constituency; and if she will make it her policy to continue providing financial support for the repair and maintenance of listed places of worship.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. The evaluation did not specifically assess the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on communities in South Suffolk constituency. However, I can confirm that since August 2022, 146 claims have been paid to listed places of worship in the South Suffolk constituency to a value of £788,456.

On 22nd January the Department announced a new capital fund, the Places of Worship Renewal Fund which will provide support for a range of works. This will have an annual budget of £23m starting in 2026/27. This is providing certainty for the remaining years of the Spending Review until 2029/30, providing £92m over the period. Support will be targeted at places of most need. Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process, will be published in due course.