Friday, June 07, 2013

Public benefit test - to be, or not to be?

Public benefit test - to be, or not to be?: I was reminded of these lines yesterday when Bernard Jenkin MP took to the stage as the latest in the line of Parliamentarians who have been offering their views about the future of charity regulation over recent weeks.

Jenkin made his entrance into the spotlight in his capacity as chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee which published its post-legislative scrutiny report of the Charities Act 2006 and the role of the Charity Commission.

The report contains some sensible recommendations worthy of support; not least its encouragement of a system allowing the Commission to fine charities which are late filing their accounts. But in several areas Jenkin’s committee seriously misunderstands the vital role played by charities in our country and the factors which drive public trust and confidence in the sector.

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