Tabled by
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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to provide
additional support to charities working with people who are
self-isolating as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(CB)
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My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend I beg leave to ask the
Question standing in his name on the Order Paper.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport () (Con)
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My Lords, civil society organisations and volunteers are making a
huge contribution to ensuring that the most vulnerable across the
country are supported. However, we know that Covid-19 presents
serious challenges to the sector. We are hearing concerns around
income disruption, particularly for those charities where the
bulk of their money comes from public fundraising, trading or
investment income, and they will be hit especially hard. We are
working with partners across government in the sector to gather a
picture of the impacts for civil society, including for those
working in frontline roles with vulnerable and lonely people.
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My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Reply. As chairman of the
National Emergencies Trust, my noble friend has been pressing the
Government to put a significant amount of money into the
voluntary sector for two specific reasons. First, as the Minister
said, general fundraising for charities has almost completely
stopped, so that even the big ones, such as the Red Cross and St
John Ambulance, are struggling to survive. Secondly, is the need
to resource local charities that can help people on the ground
now. The amount required —between £3 billion and £5 billion—is a
fraction of the £150 billion put in to save businesses and jobs.
Last week, with the support of the Duke of Cambridge, the
National Emergencies Trust launched a national appeal, which to
date has raised over £5 million—a mere drop in the overall
ocean—which will be distributed to where it is most needed by the
community foundation. Will the Minister please tell the House
whether and how the Government plan to support the charitable
sector?
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I thank the noble Lord, , for this Question and
commend the noble Lord, , for the work that he has
done in his leadership of the National Emergencies Trust.
However, this is not a competition between funding for business
and funding for the voluntary sector: both need to be funded. We
need to keep people safe and make sure that the economy comes
through this with as little damage as possible.
In terms of what the Government are doing, many actions have
happened already, including the ability to furlough some staff
offering of loans, which to certain parts of the sector—although
not all, I appreciate—is important. But for some charities,
demand is up sharply and income is down sharply, and we are
working tirelessly and talking every day to the sector about how
we bridge that gap.
(Lab)
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My Lords, I remind the House of my railway interests, as declared
in the register. The Minister will be aware that the heritage
railway sector has effectively been wiped out for the whole of
this summer season by the emergency. However, will she commend a
worthwhile initiative which the HRA—the trade association—has
taken to help Network Rail with its laudable aim to keep trains
running for the next six months under government control? The
heritage sector is volunteering its members, who are retired
railway staff, particularly signallers and station staff, to help
Network Rail. Will the Minister encourage Network Rail to take up
this offer and, maybe, encourage similar groups where volunteers
are available and skilled to take on work in the national
interest?
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I thank the noble Lord. One thing that brightens my day is
hearing stories such as that. People are being extraordinarily
generous and creative in how they are sharing their
organisation’s assets. I will share the noble Lord’s comments
about Network Rail with colleagues in the Department for
Transport and I thank him for raising this.
(Con)
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My Lords, community foundations will be critical to ensure that
aid is properly distributed to those who need it most. Can the
Minister confirm that they will receive the support that they
require to do this?
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My noble friend makes an important point. In other emergency
situations we have seen that aid is not always distributed
effectively. Community foundations around the country have
extraordinary networks of local charities and can make sure that
the money raised gets to the places that need it most. I know
that the National Emergencies Trust and others are working
actively with the community foundations.
(LD)
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My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of a number of
charities, including very local ones. As the Minister is well
aware, many people who deliver services for charities and local
communities are volunteers who are themselves in the same
vulnerable categories as those they wish to support. We know that
local charities often find a great deal of bureaucracy in
securing funds, especially when they have to match fund or go
through a byzantine system of funding applications. Will the
Government’s package of support include that element?
We have seen reports of people using the good support for
charities for their criminal activities. One example is scammers
leafleting people offering to get shopping then taking money and
not providing it. Will the Government make sure that our criminal
justice system is acting proactively on those who are taking
advantage of the most vulnerable in society? This is abuse and
there should be zero tolerance of it at this critical time.
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The noble Lord made important points about local charities,
simplification of funding and older volunteers. I am pleased that
we announced this morning, through the Department of Health and
Social Care, the launch of the GoodSAM app, which I commend to
Members of the House. It allows volunteering both from home, by
telephone support for others, and in the community if necessary.
On simplifying funding, every funder that I have spoken to is
looking at ways to simplify and become more agile and responsive.
That is happening across the piece. The noble Lord made an
important point about scammers; colleagues across Government are
working on that.
(Non-Afl)
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I refer noble Lords to my entry in the register. I commend the
Government for the steps they have already taken in support of
charities. I particularly support the charities on the front line
and the dedicated volunteers who are doing such important work at
this time. The Charity Commission is taking a flexible and
pragmatic approach to regulation where relevant and appropriate,
and will continue to do so. Will the Minister assure me that, as
the commission continues to explore regulatory opportunities to
make life easier for those charities doing such important work on
the front line, we will be able to seek government support for
that aim should we need it?
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I am delighted to give the noble Baroness that reassurance.
The Lord Bishop of Rochester
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My Lords, the noble Baroness has indicated that conversations are
going on between the Government and the sector. I wonder whether
she could give us more detail on that and on whether new networks
are being put in place in the present circumstances, especially
to link not just with the larger charities but with the wider
sector, particularly those on the ground.
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We are working closely with some of the major delivery
organisations as well as with the umbrella bodies, particularly
organisations such as the NCVO and NAVCA, the latter being
responsible for organising the local community response. We are
also aware—but think that we need to be supportive but not
controlling—of some of the more spontaneous work going on,
including from established networks such as faith groups.
(Lab)
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My Lords, may I briefly pick up on the last point? How often is
the Minister meeting the NCVO, the umbrella organisation? It has
come up with a three-point plan; does she have a response to it
and have the Government responded to it? It is a diverse sector,
and working with the umbrella organisation is vital.
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I think the chief executive of the NCVO and I have each other on
speed dial. I can reassure the noble Lord that we are talking
pretty much every day and certainly were over the weekend. We are
in very close conversation. The noble Lord is right that this
impacts on the sector in different ways. There are organisations,
perhaps more in the arts and heritage, that can mothball staff
and then re-emerge, but there are also those where demand is up
but income is down, and that is what we are trying to pin down
now.
