Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 3rd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this matter, and I sincerely thank her for bringing it to the House; it is not something we talk about enough. The creative industries sector plan contained £150 million-worth of funding for the creative places growth fund. Much of that funding is being devolved to local areas, and I will ensure that my colleagues and I work closely with my hon. Friend and with local leaders, particularly mayors of combined authorities, to ensure that as we roll out that funding, it is accessible to everybody.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

8. What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer national insurance contributions on charities.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)]

The Government highly value the charity sector and its positive contribution. However, we have had to take a number of difficult decisions on tax, welfare and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services and restore economic stability.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations puts the cost at £1.4 billion. That is right, isn’t it?

[Stephanie Peacock]

I reiterate that we really value the charity sector, but we have had to make some very difficult decisions.

--- Later in debate ---

[Marsha De Cordova]

I thank the Father of the House for his question. He is absolutely right: the attacks that took place in Taybeh last week were outrageous and should not have been allowed to happen. If we are all going to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we have to speak out when we see such atrocities happen. We must be a voice for the voiceless. I hear him when he says that the Church must speak out every day against what is happening in Gaza, and indeed across the whole occupied territories.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

6. What statutory powers the Church plans to use to facilitate Project Spire.

[Marsha De Cordova]

I thank the right hon. Member for his question and draw his attention to a written response I gave on 22 April. It is the Church’s intention, subject to the approval of the trustees, for the Church Commissioners to make an application to the Charity Commission to authorise an ex gratia payment under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011 on the basis of moral obligation.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

A number of Members this morning have lobbied for expenditure to repair their churches, and the hon. Lady has told them to lobby the Government—the Department for Culture, Media and Sport—for that money. At the same time, the Church has already spent £5 million on this project, with the aspiration of taking it to £1 billion, when the Charity Commission has yet to deliver its verdict on whether that is within the charitable objectives allowable. How has that been allowed to happen?

[Marsha De Cordova]

These are two separate issues. What is going on in relation to funding for Project Spire is totally separate to any other funding—the listed places of worship grant scheme is a separate scheme. The buildings for mission fund that supports our churches is totally separate.