Charities Bill [Lords]

Jeff Smith Excerpts

3rd reading
Tuesday 22nd February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his introduction. The Opposition are proud to support our charity sector, which does such fantastic work for individuals, communities and society. The contribution of charities to our society could not have been shown more clearly than during the coronavirus pandemic, as organisations and volunteers have done fantastic work to support vulnerable people around the country. We owe it to them to provide a legal and operational framework that is clear, efficient and manageable, especially for the large number of small charities with limited staff and resources, and that allows them to concentrate not on bureaucratic technicalities but on doing their work. During the passage of this Bill there has been agreement on all sides that the new measures detailed in it are important progress towards allowing charities to amend the ways they operate and making it easier for them to achieve their core purpose.

The Bill seeks to make a series of changes that will make it easier for charities to navigate the law and carry out their functions effectively, while retaining important safeguards. So the Opposition are pleased today to support the Bill, which takes on board the large majority of recommendations put forward in the Law Commission’s report and makes a number of significant changes for charities. It reduces red tape, including by making it easier for charities to amend their governing documents, such as through small changes to charitable purposes; and by making it easier to dispose of land efficiently, to use the resources of the charity more effectively and to avoid disputes over whether a trustee has been correctly appointed or elected.

I do not intend to detain the House for long, but I do wish to thank the Law Commission and the charity sector for their great work on the Bill. I thank the Lords for their careful scrutiny of what is quite a technical and involved Bill: they did a great job of scrutinising the measures in the other place. I am also grateful for the Minister’s engagement and particularly for his writing to me yesterday to set out an indicative timescale for the implementation of the measures in the Bill. I look forward to more detail on the implementation plan as it comes forward. With that, I am happy to offer the Opposition’s support on Third Reading.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed, with amendments.

Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [Lords] (Programme) (No. 2)

Ordered,

That the Order of 5 January 2022 (Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [Lords] (Programme)) be varied as follows:

(1) Paragraphs (4) and (5) of the Order shall be omitted.

(2) Proceedings on Consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion two hours after the commencement of proceedings on the motion for this Order.

(3) Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the motion for this Order.—(Mr Simon Clarke.)