Mr. CREECH JONESasked the hon. Member for Montgomery, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether the staff in the office of the Charity Commissioners is able properly to examine the accounts which are required by law to be submitted to them by trustees of charities; and whether the recent proposals as to the staffing of the Charity Commission have the full approval of the commissioners and will be reconsidered in the light of the fact that the accounts form the basis of inquiries concerning charities?
§ Mr. CLEMENT DAVIESThe Charitable Trusts Acts require that a copy of the accounts of every endowed charity shall be sent to the office of the Charity Commissioners annually, where it is open to public inspection, but the Acts do not require detailed examination or audit by the commissioners of the accounts as and when received. The report of the Select258W Committee on Estimates (1935), made certain comments upon the organisation and method of the Accounts Department of the commission, and recommended that a review should be undertaken by the commissioners in consultation with the Treasury. Following the review which was accordingly undertaken, a scheme is under consideration with a view to the improvement of the departmental organisation for securing the regular production and any necessary examination of the accounts.