National Trust Acts

Lord Tyrie Excerpts

Tuesday 21st January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Tyrie (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

[Lord Swire (Con)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the King’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip (Baroness Wheeler) (Lab)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the noble Lord.

[Lord Tyrie (Non-Afl)]

I think that most of us would agree that the National Trust does a very fine job and has done so over many years. None the less, the noble Lord, Lord Lexden, has a point. It is a huge institution, is one of the largest landowners in the country and is in receipt of huge amounts of public money, not only directly in grants but indirectly through taxpayer reliefs. The time might now be ripe for a review that will look not only at the governance, to which the noble Lord referred, but at the accountability mechanisms, to make sure that the body remains well run.

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The governance and the focus of the work of the National Trust is a matter for its council, not for government. I personally and the Government do not have an issue with the running of the National Trust. If any noble Lords have concerns about it, they should note that any issues around its compliance with its charitable purposes should be made to the Charity Commission. I repeat that the National Trust is the biggest conservation charity in Europe. It opens up our countryside and heritage, including diverse buildings—from Paul McCartney’s childhood home to Cliveden and Chartwell—and, as has been noted, the Welsh coastline. Rather than bashing the institution, we should support it to continue with its strategy.