HC Deb 09 November 1961 vol 648 cc75-7W
Sir H. Linstead

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Orders he has made, or intends to make, applying Section 4 of the Charities Act, 1960, which provides for the establishment of a register of charities, to pre-1961 charities.

Mr. R. A. Butler

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and I have made two Orders applying Section 4 to local charities for the benefit of any part of the counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Huntingdonshire, Isle of Ely, Isle of Wight, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Soke of Peterborough, Somerset, Wiltshire, Worcester, the administrative County of Surrey and the County Borough of Croydon.

We intend in the spring of 1962 to apply Section 4 to local charities for the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex and the administrative counties of Essex, Hertford, Middlesex, Kent, London and the City of London, and also to charities whose work is not carried on mainly for the benefit of some particular part of England and Wales.

We intend to apply Section 4 in the autumn of 1962 to local charities for Wales and Monmouthshire and the counties of Cheshire, Derby, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincoln, Nottingham, Rutlandshire, Shropshire, Stafford and Warwickshire, and in the spring of 1963 to local charities for the remaining counties of England.

If this programme is carried out, all charities in England and Wales will have been required to register by the spring of 1963.

The Act contains a number of exemptions; and in addition Regulations have been made excepting from registration voluntary schools and certain charities for boy scouts and girl guides. Religious charities are excepted from registration until 1st January, 1963, and the Charity Commissioners are discussing with denominational bodies the question of permanent exceptions for such charities. It is not however intended to except denominational charities for secular purposes.

It is also proposed that the schools and institutes of the University of London and other universities in receipt of grant from the University Grants Committee should be placed on the same footing as those listed as exempt charities in the Second Schedule to the Act.