Oral Answers to Questions

Katie Lam Excerpts

Monday 2nd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome the shadow Secretary of State to her place.

[Katie Lam (Weald of Kent) (Con)]

Last month, it was reported that money from the Department’s community recovery fund had been funnelled to explicitly partisan groups, and had been used to train activists in how to influence the public to make them pro-migration and against the Conservative party, which was named in training materials. Can the Secretary of State please explain how on earth taxpayer money was spent on this kind of partisan political activity?

[Angela Rayner]

I am not aware of the Government spending money on that type of partisan material, but I am happy for the hon. Lady to send it to me. I think she might have written to me about this recently, and I will be happy to respond.

[Katie Lam]

In a statement issued by the Department last month, we were told that this money, which has been spent on partisan political campaigning, can be recovered if it has been used improperly—but that is not the same as doing it. Will the Secretary of State confirm that she will investigate and recoup every penny of taxpayer money funnelled to those partisan groups, either directly or by instructing councils?

[Angela Rayner]

Yes.