§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been directed to the registration under the War Charities Act of 1940, of untrustworthy or bogus organisations purporting to provide charitable projects in aid of the Services; and whether he will take steps to ensure that charitable donations are directed to such reputable and experienced bodies as the Red Cross and the Incorporated Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Help Society.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe object of the War Charities Act of 1940 was to prevent the exploitation of the public by "bogus and untrustworthy charities," and my information, which has been supplemented by inquiries of the Charity Commissioners and other Departments and authorities concerned, does not support the allegation made in the first part of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question. As regards the latter part of the Question, while I sympathise with the desire that public charity shall flow into right channels and while it is the policy of the Departments concerned to encourage the co-ordination of charities organised for similar purposes, it will no doubt be recognised that voluntary donations cannot properly be subjected to hard and fast directions from Government Departments.