§ 11. Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Charities Act 1960 so as to relax the restrictions on the use of the money available in a number of ancient local charities.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Government have at present no plans to introduce legislation for this purpose.
§ Miss FookesIs my hon. Friend aware that these charities, collectively, are trustees for sums running into not thousands, but millions, of pounds, and that those moneys could be used far more productively?
§ Mr. RaisonI am aware that there has been much discussion about the way in which charity money is spent. The present system for assessing the purposes of a charity is working satisfactorily.