Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Civil Society and Charities

Thursday 4 June 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Charities and civil society received a package of support worth 750 million to help sustain operations during the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Arts Council England announced an emergency funding package of 160 million for arts charities, with the government considering additional support.
  • Hospices and other charities have access to 200 million of the total support package, aimed at ensuring their sustainability and continuation of services.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Imran Ahmad Khan
Economy Taxation Local Government
Context

The question arises from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on civil society organisations, particularly charities.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the sustainability of civil society and charities affected by the covid-19 outbreak?

Answer from Matt Warman

Charities and civil society are playing a pivotal role in the response to coronavirus, with a package of support worth £750 million announced. This includes no business rates for shops this year and furloughing staff where possible. The aim is to prevent unnecessary closures, keep vital services open, and provide a basis to continue their contribution to the national effort.

Answered
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Q2 Stephen Hammond Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The question is prompted by the challenges faced by local and national arts charities due to the pandemic.

Question

Will he look again at charities that specifically promote the arts, such as Wimbledon BookFest, because they keep culture going in our communities?

Answer from Matt Warman

The £160 million emergency funding package announced by Arts Council England is an important part of the support, but we are working closely with them to consider what additional support may be needed for long-term recovery of the sector in the future.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Additional specific support for arts charities not addressed

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Q3 Imran Ahmad Khan
NHS
Context

The question stems from the significant funding deficits faced by local charities like Wakefield Hospice during the pandemic.

Question

What steps are being taken to ensure that the work of hospices and other charities can continue when they are prevented from fundraising through traditional measures?

Answer from Matt Warman

There is significant support available for hospices with £200 million of the £750 million ring-fenced specifically for hospices. Local charities can access the £200 million coronavirus community support fund, and reopening charity shops from 15 June will allow fundraising to start getting back to normal.

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Q4 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The question addresses the financial challenges faced by voluntary organisations due to loss of revenue, fundraising income, and increasing demand for their services.

Question

What further guarantees will be provided now that charities are beyond the point of warm words or pennies dropped in the tin?

Answer from Matt Warman

The £750 million package is a crucial part of the support, and we continue to work closely with Arts Council England and other organisations to ensure ongoing recovery. The Government understands the challenges faced by charities but does not provide specific additional guarantees beyond this.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Further guarantees for charity support not fully addressed

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Q5 Clive Efford Lab Eltham and Chislehurst
NHS
Context

The question is about the need to utilise the goodwill of volunteers who have contributed during the crisis for the benefit of voluntary organisations in the future.

Question

What is being done to harness the good will of people who volunteered during this crisis and ask them what they would like to contribute towards the voluntary sector?

Answer from Matt Warman

An additional 4 million people have volunteered in some form, with 750,000 coming forward for the GoodSAM app to help the health service. The focus is on ensuring that this good will persists, as a key part of future planning.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions or plans not fully detailed

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