Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support religious and minority belief communities which have been negatively affected by COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
In May we launched a Places of Worship Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State and the Faith Minister. The Taskforce covered a wide variety of issues relating to Covid-19 and plans to safely reopen places of worship. Since 4 July, places of worship have been able to reopen for communal worship with Covid-Secure measures.
Ministers and officials have continued to engage widely with faith and belief leaders on a range of issues, including preparations for religious festivals. In addition, we appointed FaithAction to support smaller faith groups and denominations through the pandemic.
Faith and belief organisations have been able to access a range of government-backed financial support measures. Including the Coronavirus Community Support Fund which helped organisations providing essential services to vulnerable people affected by the current crisis.