Charities Bill [HL]

My Lords, it is with pleasure that I rise to say just a few words at the end of this Second Reading debate. In the past, I have been involved with many charities but at the moment, as stated in the Register of Interests, I am president of the governors of Saint Martin’s School, Solihull, an independent girls’ school where I was a pupil many years ago. I begin by congratulating and applauding my noble friend Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts and other noble Lords including the noble Lord, Lord Phillips of Sudbury, on the assiduous and highly effective work that they have done on the Bill since its gestation in December last year and throughout the painstaking scrutiny of eight long Grand Committee sessions in the spring. It is a splendid example of the constructive cross-party work for which this House is renowned that the Government took up so many of the suggestions made in amendments in Grand Committee; the Bill that we have before us is stronger and better for it. I echo my noble friend and other noble Lords who have spoken so eloquently today when I say that we are, with a few caveats, pleased with the new Bill. As the Bill goes through this House we must continue to question whether it serves the charitable sector to the best of its ability. Our charitable and not-for-profit sector is, as we all know, a thriving and vital part of our society. It is also a diverse sector. We need to make sure that the mechanics of this legislation serve big and small, grant-giving and grant-receiving charities equally well. For that reason, we will continue to invite responses from charities and organisations during the passage of the Bill and to scrutinise the final detail. As the speeches of noble Lords today have shown, there is always room for improvement. However, I feel confident enough to say that we seem to be in the happy position of having reached a broad consensus on this Bill, both in the House and among outside bodies. I therefore look forward to the swift passage of the Bill through the Lords and into the Commons. It is in the interests of all those organisations that have awaited the Bill with keen and mounting anticipation for this legislation to make its way onto the statute book as soon as possible. It is sad that the Bill was introduced too late for that to have been achieved in the previous Session, but I hope that that will be remedied on this occasion. We wait with interest to see the positive impact that the changes introduced are sure to make on the sector as a whole. In that spirit, we on these Benches welcome the Bill.