§ Mr. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the official estimate that a period of no less than 18 months would be required to enable the Charity Commissioners to state the total mineral income received by the charities under their control for the year 1908, he would consider the question of reorganising that Department, so that Members of this House were not debarred from receiving information relating to that Department, seeing that the same information, together with full particulars of the rents, way-leaves, etc., had been furnished by other Departments of State within a period of four days?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. Friend is no doubt aware that, while the Ecclesiastical Commissioners actually administer the estates under their control, and are therefore able to furnish particulars of all mineral rents received, the Charity Commissioners, whose functions are purely judicial, take no part in the management of the estates of charities, although their sanction is required to certain dealings with property under the Charitable Trusts Acts? Although accounts of charities are directed to be furnished to the Commissioners they have no power of audit, and I understand that to furnish information as to mineral rents for a given year would entail an examination of the accounts of about 50,000 charities, in respect of a matter which does not fall within the statutory duties of the Commissioners.
§ Mr. MARKHAMDoes not the Prime Minister think it desirable that this House should know the total revenue derived by charities in the country from mineral way-leave rents?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt would be desirable, but I do not think that the Charity Commission, as at present constituted, is a proper body to furnish such information.