Press release: Review of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund launched

The Government has today launched a call for evidence on the roles and responsibilities of the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

It forms part of a review on how the organisations carry out their roles in supporting the heritage sector and how HLF operates in distributing National Lottery funding to heritage projects across the UK.

It will also consider how NHMF and HLF engage with the public and work with partners across the country.

Heritage, natural environment and other cultural organisations, as well as members of the public, are invited to submit their views over the next six weeks.

Every government-sponsored public body is reviewed at least once in each Parliament to ensure it is fit for purpose and provides good value for money.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund review Challenge Panel, made up of stakeholders and experts in the sector, is chaired by DCMS Non-Executive Director Charles Alexander. The review is expected to be completed in summer 2017.

Notes to editors:

  1. The call for evidence for the National Heritage Memorial Fund tailored review will be open for six weeks, from today until 06/04/2017. More information, including how to take part in the online call for evidence can be found here.

  2. A Challenge Panel made of external experts and stakeholders has also been set up to look at the scope, methodology and conclusions of the National Heritage Memorial Fund review. This will be chaired by Charles Alexander, lead Non-Executive Director of DCMS with a background in international finance.

  3. Tailored reviews are part of the Government’s Public Body Transformation Programme, and look at the effectiveness, efficiency and good governance of public bodies.

  4. The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) was set up in 1980 to save the most outstanding parts of our heritage at risk of loss to the nation, as a memorial to those who have given their lives for the UK. NHMF, operating as the Heritage Lottery Fund, also distributes money from the National Lottery to help people across the UK to explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about.

  5. The Terms of Reference for the Review are attached.

Media enquiries – please contact the DCMS News and Communications team on 020 7211 2210.