Member

I am also grateful to the noble Lord for bringing forward Amendment 97, in which a number of noble Lords took a great interest. I recognise the importance of supporting those who care for listed buildings, which are such a vital part of our shared history. The noble Baroness, Lady Scott, raised the issue of our historic houses, and I am pleased to say that I have already met the Historic Houses Association. I met it at Knebworth House, which is a great example of one of our historic houses. Since then, I have organised a roundtable with my noble friend Lady Twycross, the DCMS Minister, and other stakeholders in this area to have a proper discussion around how we think about our historic and listed buildings in terms of planning. However, applications for listed building consent are already exempt from fees under existing regulations. This exemption reflects the public value of protecting these historic assets for the benefit of current and future generations.