Charitable and Voluntary Sector

Baroness Sheehan Excerpts

Thursday 30th April 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sheehan (LD)]

My Lords, Bond, the umbrella group representing over 400 NGOs working in international development and the humanitarian sector, estimates that many members will not survive unless they receive urgent financial support to cover core organisational costs. These are valued organisations held in high esteem nationally and internationally, so I have four asks of the Government.

First, the £750 million charity support package, though welcome, does not include charities that work abroad, nor is it sufficient for those it does support. Will the Government increase support commensurate with the £4 billion loss that the sector faces and, of that support, will they make at least £320 million available to UK NGOs working abroad?

Secondly, can the Minister say whether the request to increase the £20 million allocation to the rapid response facility to at least £100 million, as per the letter to the Secretary of State for DfID from Wendy Chamberlain MP, to which I and over 100 other parliamentarians across both Houses are signatories, will be met? These front-line NGOs have a delivery capacity and reach into vulnerable communities second to none.

Thirdly, will the Government allow charities in current government programmes to pivot to tackle Covid-19?

Fourthly, when will charities have access to the furlough scheme and CSOs to small business funding?

Covid-19 does not respect borders. A single case of a superspreader can infect people around the world very quickly. We are all in this together, so unless the crisis is over everywhere, it will not be over anywhere.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Lord Loomba? As the noble Lord, Lord Loomba, has not responded, I call the noble Lord, Lord Astor of Hever.