Charities Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in this short debate. I understand what my noble friend Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts and the noble Lord, Lord Bassam of Brighton, have said about Amendment No. 13. Therefore, I will not move Amendment No. 13. I have not been persuaded on my Amendments Nos. 14 and 15, in particular on Amendment No. 15—fair and reasonable. I understand that that amendment is supported by the NCVO and that it has written to a number of your Lordships on the subject. I am not aware that I have ever received a copy of the letter myself; perhaps it is still in the post. Since I spoke on this subject at Second Reading, I have heard from a charity that I think has not had fair and reasonable treatment by the Charity Commission. It may well be a case of one bad apple in a barrel. But, that being the case, these words in the Bill would be able to allow the commissioners to persuade their own employees that they should behave fairly and reasonably. I am advised that in the case of the charity that was being looked at by the commission, someone from the commission e-mailed a national newspaper with what I am told are false allegations. Why they should have e-mailed a national newspaper in any case, I do not know—it strikes me as being thoroughly unprofessional. I am also told that rumours were spread that the person running the charity was under investigation by the police. When they went to the police to find out if they were under investigation they were told that it was not the case. Those instances do not represent fair and reasonable behaviour and it would be of considerable assistance to those at the head of the Charity Commission if these words were in the Bill. I beg leave to withdraw Amendment No. 13. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.