Charities Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 16: Page 7, line 25, at end insert—"““.   In performing its functions the Commission must have regard to the desirability of facilitating innovation by or on behalf of charities.””" The noble Lord said: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, has tabled Amendment No. 17 as an amendment to the Government’s amendment. On 28 June, the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson, moved an amendment that would have given the Charity Commission the general function of facilitating development and innovation in the charitable sector. On a Division, your Lordships’ House produced a tied vote, which meant that, by the narrowest margin, the amendment was not carried. Since then, we have reflected further on the matter. We see merit in the proposition of the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson, which, I understand, is supported by the Charity Commission, so we have devised an amendment to give effect to it. Rather than give the Charity Commission a new general function of facilitating innovation, our amendment would give it a new duty that would apply to it in carrying out all its functions. The wording of the duty is very closely based on that of the equivalent duty applying to the Financial Services Authority, which the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson, has commended to your Lordships’ House in the past. I have also reflected further on the amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Phillips of Sudbury. There may be a way in which we can incorporate it into the government amendment. In view of that, I hope that we now have unanimity on the issue across your Lordships’ House. I beg to move.