VAT ON ALTERATIONS TO CHURCHES

That this House notes the announcement in the 2012 Budget that alterations to listed properties will be subject to the standard rate of VAT;further notesthat 45 per cent of the Grade I listed buildings in this country are Church of England churches; further notes that out of 16,000 Church of England churches, 12,500 are listed and will be subject to this VAT;acknowledges that many of these buildings are maintained by volunteers; further notes that many of the alterations in question will make such buildings more viable for use by the wider community; welcomes the additional 30 million a year fund provided by the Treasury for future alterations and repairs to listed cathedrals and churches, on top of the 12 million already in the Listed Places of Worship Grant for repairs; and calls on the Government to monitor the Listed Places of Worship Grant to ensure that it is sufficient to meet the costs of alterations to listed churches in the future.