Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the five-year listing period of Assets of Community Value currently listed on council registers under provisions in the Localism Act 2011 to cover the duration of the covid-19 lockdown; and if he will make a statement.

The matter of whether a building or land should be listed as an Asset of Community Value is a decision for local authorities. The five-year listing period set out in the Assets of Community Value scheme is one of several clearly defined thresholds which ensures that all parties are clear about how the scheme operates and their rights and responsibilities. There are no plans to amend this scheme in the short-term, however the government is committed to making it easier for community groups to protect and take over local assets and will continue to explore options to strengthen the rights of community groups do so.