§ 49. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Prime Minister whether he has now considered the Report of the Nathan Committee on Charitable Trusts; and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. J. Morrison). I much regret that as it was not reached I was not able to make it then.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Report having been accepted, is it the Government's intention to amend the constitution of the Charity Commission in order to deal with the many points raised in the Report, and especially to appoint a separate Commission for Wales? Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether the 100,000 organisations and charities, which control £200 million or £300 million of cash, should be brought under one efficient national control, and so end this anachronism of private enterprise and bring about an efficient nationalised system of charities?
§ The Prime MinisterI fear that I should not be treating the hon. Gentleman's very complicated and well thought out supplementary question with the respect it deserves if I attempted to answer it on the spur of the moment.
§ Mr. J. MorrisonIs the Prime Minister aware that publication of this Report is welcome and that there is scope for some reforms?