The National Trust raised in Parliament

Recently the National Trust has been the topic of debates in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Concerns were raised in the House of Commons in a debate on 11 November 2020 about the leaked report ‘Towards a 10-Year Vision’ and the interim report on colonialism and slavery.

Dr Andrew Murrison raised the issue of the proposed closure of smaller houses. He compared the interim report unfavourably with similar work published by Historic England in 2013.

Tim Farron expressed concerns about National Trust-owned family farms in the Lake District becoming holiday lets or second homes.

Sir John Hayes regretted the charity's recent interventions in political matters

Questions were also raised in a debate in the House of Lords on 3 December 2020.

Lord Lexden asked whether the Government had any plans to review the National Trust Acts. He asked whether the statement from the director of volunteering that the National Trust has ‘a duty to play a part in creating a fairer, more equitable society’ is compatible with the status under which the trust operates. He expressed his concern that the charity is ‘advancing an extremist political agenda.’

Lord Robathan asked why curators of ‘real expertise’ are being sacked. Lord Berkeley expressed his concern over the possibility of smaller properties being closed to the public, Lord Moylan raised the possibility that the National Trust may be split into smaller organizations, and Lord Bird raised concerns about the National Trust's treatment of its tenants.