§ MR. CREMERI wish to ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, if he can state the number of charities and endowments which have been inquired into by the Charity Commissioners; what is the total value of the charities and endowments which have been inquired into; how the funds have been appropriated; the number of charities and endowments which, in the opinion of the Charity Commissioners, remain to be investigated; and how long they calculate it will be before their labours terminate.
§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R., Elland)Under the Endowed Schools Acts, since 1901 only exceptional cases can be dealt with by the Commissioners. The jurisdiction under the Charitable Trusts Acts is not, as the hon. Member is aware, of a terminable character. It is not possible to give the information desired as to number of inquiries and particulars of Endowments, since this would in fact involve an epitome of the labours of the Commissioners during half a century; but the Index recently prepared, referred to in their current Report, records upwards of 15,000 schemes, showing in each case the place, name of 565 endowment, date of scheme, and Act conferring jurisdiction.
§ MR. CREMERI want to know how the money has been appropriated. Is the hon. Gentleman aware there is a strong feeling among the people that endowments appropriated by the Charity Commissioners have been taken from the poor and utilised for purposes not of the general profit?
§ MR. TREVELYANI have said that the information may be obtained on reference to the records.