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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Government grants statistics 2020 to 2021, published on 31 March 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the ALB - National Heritage Memorial Fund - National Heritage Memorial Fund 2019-20.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport sets objectives for grant funding when designing grant schemes and allocates funding in accordance with those objectives. The department and its public bodies deliver all grant funding in line with the Government Functional Standard GovS 015: Grants.

This funding refers to grants awarded by the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) during 2019–20 in line with its purpose as a UK funder of last resort. NHMF grant awards are made to safeguard nationally important heritage which is at risk. All grant awards are made under an in-perpetuity grant contract which sets out requirements for long-term care, conservation, and public access to the heritage asset supported. NHMF grant contracts ensure the long-term future of nationally important heritage assets. Where contract compliance is not achieved in individual cases, NHMF works with grantees to ensure this is addressed.