Speeches: SADIQ KHAN

SADIQ KHAN

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,
Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG)  
(this link enables you to access video highlights and to download the full text)

Summary

FbRN, which is an important partner of CLG, undertook substantial background research on the regional picture that informed the Face-to-Face-and-Side-by-Side framework for partnership in our multi faith society (issued by CLG in July 2008). It also helps to bring the faith voice into the CLG’s thinking about policies and programmes.

Government is becoming increasingly aware that all relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies at national, regional and local levels need to be involved to create a better, more effective, society; a “joining up of the dots” 

The Faiths in Action Fund of £4 million will support local inter-faith projects and was part of a Government initiative to coordinate its policies and programmes with faith communities.

Starting in April 2009, each of the nine regional forums of faiths have been allocated up to £70,000 annually to help them build the capacity to support local inter faith structures and relate to regional governance.

An English Regions Faith Forums Network, convened jointly by the Inter Faith Network and FbRN, helps facilitate communication from national to local levels

The Community Development Foundation (CDF), as a major national community development infrastructure organisation, is helping to deliver Government programmes for faith communities, including the Faiths in Action Fund, and strategically positioning faith communities within the Third Sector.

Faith groups play a vital role in communities, delivering services and supporting community cohesion, contributing to social capital and social justice.

The Government has recently published a paper on Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential:

• listing relevant Government funding streams and capacity building resources,
• setting out guidance about local partnership working.
• identifying the valuable, and often unrecognised, role of faith communities and their buildings as part of the local third sector
• encouraging local partnership working.

Inter Faith Week which will run from 15th to 21st November 2009 has recently been announced.

Current tasks for CLG include:

• updating the Faith & Community guidance, originally published by the Local Government Association in 2002.

• supporting the development, by a multi faith group, of a programme of religious literacy training for the public sector