Press release: Campaigners welcome Scot Gov fund to deter attacks on religious buildings
Religious LibertyChristian campaigners have welcomed a new Scottish Government fund designed to deter religiously-motivated attacks on churches and other religious settings.
The Scottish Government's £500,000 Hate Crime Security Fund, open to all faith groups in Scotland, provides grants for the installation of security measures, to help protect places of worship.
Places of worship deemed particularly at-risk of attacks are eligible for 100% grants. This is higher than in England, where settings are only able to receive 80% funding.
Individual places of worship can receive up to £20,000 in funding to install up to three separate security measures.
The fund opened this week and will run for two months. Grants are expected to be paid out by the end of September this year.
Michael Veitch, Parliamentary Officer at CARE for Scotland, commented:
“CARE for Scotland warmly welcomes this fund. In recent years, there have been alarming attacks on places of worship in Scotland including churches, synagogues, and mosques. This money will enable congregations to install security measures to act both as a deterrent to criminals and a reassurance to worshippers.
“Whilst the maximum grant available to individual places of worship is less than in England, the fact that 100% grants are to be provided to the most at-risk settings is especially welcome. We hope that this assistance for places of worship will become a regular feature in Scottish Government budgets.
“We also call on Ministers to send a strong message that religiously-motivated hatred has no place in modern Scotland including hatred against Christians, which often receives less media coverage.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
CARE is a well-established mainstream Christian charity providing resources and helping to bring Christian insight and experience to matters of public policy and practical caring initiatives. CARE is represented in the UK Parliaments and Assemblies.
For interview requests or more information please contact Jamie Gillies: jamie.gillies@care.org.uk // 07384467819
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Press release: Campaigners welcome Scot Gov fund to deter attacks on religious buildings