Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to enable town and parish councils to recover lost income caused by the covid-19 crisis; and what discussions he has held with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the equity of compensation arrangements for such losses by town and parish councils, relative to those applying to the principal local authorities.  [39453]

[Due for Answer on 29 April.] 

ANSWER

The Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government (Simon Clarke): Government does not directly financially support parish councils. Parish councils are funded through a precept collected from within the overall council tax paid by the residents of the parish. The Government has announced a further £1.6 billion of funding to meet additional pressures arising from the pandemic and help continue to deliver frontline services, taking the total amount of support to local government to £3.2 billion. Parish and Town Councils should liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.