Gambling harms
There will be a Westminster Hall debate on gambling harms on 5 February 2025. The debate will be opened by Alex Ballinger MP.

A debate on the future of the learned societies at Burlington House will be held in Westminster Hall on Tuesday 8 June 2021 at 4.50pm. The debate will be opened by Tim Loughton MP.
This debate has been called to spotlight the struggle of the five learned societies currently housed in Burlington House to remain there after rent increases.
The five learned societies (or the Courtyard Societies) are:
This struggle was highlighted first by the Society of Antiquaries, who launched a campaign to remain at Burlington House after a 3100% increase in rent from 2012 to 2021.
Their president, Paul Drury, has claimed that:
… relocation represents a major threat to the continued existence of the society in its current form. Leaving Burlington House would require the prohibitively costly process of replicating the infrastructure to house its unique collections elsewhere, while moving fragile historical items en masse is a huge and extremely costly undertaking in itself…
… An almost unthinkable yet looming scenario is that the society may have to sell items from its collection to fund new premises in order to appropriately house the rest of its artefacts.
Since then, the Geological Society and Linnean Society have joined the campaign to remain at Burlington House.
An open letter to the Government, published in the Telegraph, has urged “an affordable solution before it is too late.” This letter has attracted signatures from multiple public figures in fields related to the Courtyard Societies, including both MPs and Peers.
The Society of Antiquaries – Save BH – Society of Antiquaries of London (sal.org.uk)
The Linnean Society – Save Burlington House | The Linnean Society
The Geological Society – The Geological Society (geolsoc.org.uk)
World Archaeology – Special Report: Save Burlington House – World Archaeology (world-archaeology.com)
Written questions and answers – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
Written questions and answers – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
Written questions and answers – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
Written questions and answers – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament
Under threat: the birthplace of Darwin’s historic theory | Science | The Guardian
Rent rise endangers learned societies | News | The Times
There will be a Westminster Hall debate on gambling harms on 5 February 2025. The debate will be opened by Alex Ballinger MP.
A general debate on creative industries is scheduled to take place in the House of Commons Chamber on Monday 27 January 2025.
Construction work to repair buildings, including historic churches, is charged VAT at the 20% standard rate. The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme provides grants to mitigate the VAT costs for these repairs.