Vicky Foxcroft

I am pleased to respond to this debate, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Ashley Dalton) on securing it. She is an incredibly powerful woman—such a powerful woman that she has been able to get the Secretary of State to attend the debate. She also shares powerful woman characteristics with my mother. I have to mention my mother today, because it is her birthday and, sadly, I am not able to be with her. Village halls and other such spaces are often the lifeblood of our communities, and I pay tribute to the army of workers and volunteers who selflessly provide vital services in them, to communities up and down the country. In the vast majority of cases, these spaces are well-run and treasured by their communities, but on rare occasions, problems can arise. My hon. Friend has raised concerns about Scarisbrick village hall in her constituency. Such cases highlight the important role that local Members of Parliament can play in resolving issues in their communities. I congratulate her on securing a positive outcome that protects and preserves the war memorial. On the ongoing concerns about the management of the village hall, I note that the Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into the charity in February 2026. The opening of a case is not a finding of wrongdoing, but a step the commission can take to consider concerns in greater detail. The case is ongoing, and the commission is therefore limited in what it can say at this stage. However, I understand that the commission intends to meet the parties involved at the charity’s premises in the coming weeks. The Charity Commission for England and Wales plays a vital role in helping community charities, such as village halls, to thrive, and in supporting public trust and confidence in charities across the sector.