§ Q6. Mr. Alexander W. Lyonasked the Prime Minister if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the purpose and administration of charitable organisations and to propound a clear definition of a legal charity.
§ The Prime MinisterComprehensive changes in the law relating to charities, 826 based on the recommendations of a committee under the chairmanship of the late Lord Nathan, were made in the Charities Act, 1960. I do not consider that there is need for a further inquiry.
§ Mr. LyonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Nathan Committee reported in 1952 and that the Charities Act, 1960, specifically omitted to make a definition of a charity, which was one of the foremost recommendations of the Committee? Is he aware that this has led to an increasing body of public opinion who find the whole concept of charity falling into disrepute because so many alleged charities are given tax exemptions and so on when people do not consider that they are charities at all?
§ The Prime MinisterWe all recognise the problem. The question of drafting a more precise legal definition of what is a charity was very fully debated when the Charities Act, to which I referred, was debated in this House. It was then accepted by all parties that the disadvantages of trying to get a precise definition would outweigh the advantages, whatever the Nathan Committee had said. I would have thought that this is probably still the case, but if my hon. Friend has any particular point that he would like considered, either on this or the wider working of the Charities Act, naturally I would be very glad to receive it.