§ 3. Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review his policy in respect of the withdrawal of benefits from people in receipt of charitable donations. [39686]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Roger Evans)As with all policy, the treatment of charitable donations when calculating entitlement to an income-related benefit is kept under continual review.
§ Mr. KennedyI thank the Minister for that reply. He will be aware that my question is prompted by an earlier written question to him, transferred to the Benefits Agency, concerning an adjudication made in respect of a local charity, the Chelsey Austin appeal fund. That has now been satisfactorily resolved, and I pay tribute to the local newspaper, The Press and Journal, for the important role that it played in drawing attention to the unfairness involved. As there are implications for Scottish trust law and for the calculation of capital for charities of this kind, will the Minister confirm that such information will be made widely available throughout Scotland, so that such an error does not recur?
§ Mr. EvansThe simple answer to the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question is yes. Unfortunately, in the case that he raised there was a technical defect: the adjudicating officer had not noticed that Parliament has passed an Act this Session altering the requirements for a Scottish trust to be in writing. We value the special provisions relating to charitable arrangements when calculating entitlement to income-related benefits. The trust to which the hon. Gentleman refers is a classic example of special arrangements, made locally, to provide medical and other special equipment.