Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with stakeholders on additional funding for (a) social enterprises and (b) charities over the last 12 months.
Government recognises the huge contribution of charities and social enterprises in the national effort against coronavirus, and the significant challenges that many have experienced.
The Minister for Civil Society, Baroness Barran, DCMS officials, and the VCSE Crown Representative, Claire Dove, have been engaging with civil society stakeholders on a regular basis throughout the pandemic. This has included engagement with the major membership bodies, as well as those specifically representing ethnic minority, women’s, and disabled communities. A core Civil Society Stakeholder Group (CSSG) has provided a crucial channel for strategic engagement between government and sector leaders. These discussions have helped ensure the particular needs of the charity and social enterprise sectors are considered fully.
The sector continues to benefit from a multi-billion-pound package of government support. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and grants for premises required to close. This support builds on over £1 billion in targeted funding, including the £750 million package for charities and social enterprises. At this time government does not have plans to offer additional targeted funding for these sectors.