The inside track: February 2021

Our latest update on what’s going on in Westminster that might impact charities, including the #RightNow campaign, and Oliver Dowden’s heritage summit.

Parliament

The Budget

With many sectors and causes looking for the government to provide more support to get through the pandemic, most campaigners’ focus at the moment will be on next week’s Budget. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, is expected to extend existing covid support schemes, but hopes of specific charity sector support were this week dampened by civil society minister Baroness Barran.

We are supporting the #RightNow campaign, which focuses on the work being done by charities in supporting communities during this crisis, and the need for support as charities once again see their fundraising opportunities limited by lockdown.

There’s still time for MPs to raise this issue on behalf of charities in their constituency and put pressure on the government to act to make sure charities are able to play a full role in the recovery, so please consider contacting your local MP about the campaign and the challenges your organisation is facing if you haven’t already.

Heritage summit

25 leading heritage organisations this week met with culture secretary Oliver Dowden, after being summoned to discuss contested heritage. A working group has been set up to agree guidelines on how the government’s ‘retain and explain’ policy, which states controversial monuments and ideas should be contextualised rather than removed.

There have been concerns that the summit is part of an increasing tendency for the government to seek out conflict over ‘culture war’ issues, and potentially threatens the independence of organisations, including charities, that operate in this space.

NCVO’s head of networks and influencing Alex Farrow recently set out some of the principles around how charities can engage in political issues.

People news

Rough sleeping and housing minister Kelly Tolhurst has stood down for family reasons. Her replacement is Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes, who prior to his election worked for YMCA Birmingham, and has chaired a housing association.

Other appointments

• Former civil society minister Nick Hurd has been appointed to the board of the National Citizen Service Trust, alongside Jacquie Nnochiri and Deborah Tavana.

Consultations and inquiries

• The Public Accounts Committee is looking into how effectively the £750 million of funding provided by the government to charities has been distributed and spent. The deadline for submissions is Thursday 8 April.
• The Public Accounts Committee is also holding an inquiry into local government finance, looking at whether the government has effectively supported the delivery of new services and the financial sustainability of local government. The deadline for evidence is Thursday 11 March.
• The International Development Committee is holding an inquiry into the philosophy and culture of aid, looking at why the UK gives aid, and the benefits of the UK having an aid budget. The deadline for written evidence is Thursday 18 March.
• The House of Lords Public Services Committee is holding an inquiry into the role of public services in addressing child vulnerability. The committee is accepting evidence until Friday 19 March.
• The Cabinet Office’s Disability Unit is running a survey of disabled people, carers, and others with an interest in disability issues as part of its work in developing a national strategy for disabled people. The survey is open until Friday 23 April.