Time to Get Serious About Use of Public Money – Shannon

Jim Shannon said:

“It says a lot about government priorities when they claim money cannot be found to lift the two-child benefit cap to help families in poverty, but, according to one Think Tank, some £557 million per year of taxpayers' money is spent on staff dealing with Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity issues.

In a context of limited public funding for health, education, and childcare support, it beggars belief that the Government continues to invest so much money in placating the ‘woke’ agenda.

We need the Government to get serious about how the public’s money is used.

It is expected that the Chancellor will raise a range of taxes soon, adding to what is already a crippling level of taxation on working families. It is high time the Government focused on the priorities of health and education, rather than pet projects of woke campaign groups.

I will be raising this matter in Parliament and seeking answers from Treasury. I will also be urging the Government to address the burgeoning number of quangos and arms-length bodies in the public sector. It is time the focus was put on spending public money on what matters and what makes a difference.”

Note to editors

Details of costs can be found in Inclusion at Work Panel’s recommendations for improving diversity and inclusion (D&I) practice in the workplace published by the Cabinet Office https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Finclusion-at-work-panel-report-on-improving-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion%2Freport-on-the-inclusion-at-work-panels-recommendations-for-improving-diversity-and-inclusion-di-practice-in-the-workplace%23fn%3A7&data=05%7C02%7C%7C11e85e959ef94b406a5808dcad6ec084%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638575938389661087%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3Fwn96w1GAE6Xwms5vaSj3053%2BWWz7p2V8zGSgAjY0M%3D&reserved=0