Charitable Trusts (Hansard, 8 December 1955)

§ 19. Mr. V. Yates
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a number of charitable trusts are unable to carry out the functions for which they were originally designed; and whether Her Majesty's Government will consider introducing legislation at an early date to obviate the difficulties experienced by such trusts.

§ Major Lloyd-George
The White Paper on Government Policy on Charitable Trusts in England and Wales (Cmd. 9538) sets out the nature of the legislation which Her Majesty's Government consider to be required. The preparation of such legislation will take some time, and I can hold out no hope of its introduction in the present Session.

§ Mr. Yates
Will the Home Secretary consider the importance of speeding up this matter? Is he aware that there is such a charitable trust in Birmingham, with valuable resources in land and investment income, which cannot fulfil its function of caring for deprived children because it is not in accordance with the function originally suggested, and now that they are anxious to do work of vital importance—

§ Mr. Nabarro
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It will be within your recollection that on three occasions recently you have reprimanded me for giving a modicum of information in a supplementary question As the last three supplementary questions have been of excessive length and consisted of nothing but the giving of information, may we have a further restriction on this?

§ Mr. Speaker
I agree that they have been somewhat lengthy, but I am always buoyed up by the hope that the supplementary question is coming to an end sooner than it does.

§ Mr. Yates
If I spent half as much time as the hon. Member—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Member asked a supplementary question. Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman wish to reply to it?

§ Major Lloyd-George
I was not sure that the hon. Member had come to the end of his supplementary question.

§ Mr. Yates
Further to that point of order. I was putting my final point. Will the Minister not take into consideration the case that I have mentioned? It is vital that legislation should be brought in earlier.

§ Major Lloyd-George
I certainly will do everything I can to expedite this matter, but the hon. Member will appreciate, from his knowledge, that it is an extremely complicated affair and that legislation will take a considerable time to prepare.

§ Mr. Woodburn
Some time ago, as I understand it, the Government promised me that they would look into the question and try to find how many of these charitable trusts existed. The whole country is peppered with offices, some of which are suspected of belonging to long-since defunct charities. Is the Minister prepared to try to find out how many of these trusts are carrying out obsolete functions and using property which could be used for better purposes?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is another question altogether.