§ 3. Mr. WALTER BAKERasked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that the Departmental Committee expressed the view that it was impracticable to enforce the keeping and auditing of the accounts of charities, except as a part of a general system of registration, and that prosecutions can only be based upon an accountant's report, which doubtful charities do not present, he will reconsider the whole question of registration?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 26th April. The Committee, after taking evidence and carefully examining the whole question, reported against registration, and in the circumstances I see no reason for reopening the matter. If the hon. Member will refer to the Report he will find that the Committee recommended a procedure which should be adequate for dealing with doubtful charities.
§ Mr. BAKERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the system is becoming an intolerable nuisance, and would it not be possible to insist that persons collecting for charities on a commission basis should at least have a pedlar's licence?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI do not think a pedlar's licence would be a right one to use. I agree that very often a nuisance is created by door-to-door collections, but I do not want to issue too many licences, and I think the nuisance will probably die out again.