§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the booklet The New Law—A Trustee's Guide to the Charities Act 1992, issued by the Charity Commissioners, was prepared in consultation with Her Majesty's Government; and whether the phrase in paragraph 1(10) which says that those competent to audit the accounts of charities "will be listed in regulations which the Home Secretary will make" should rather have read "will be listed in regulations which the Home Secretary will lay before Parliament".
Earl FerrersThe Charities Commission is a government department. The bookletCharities: The New Law—A Trustee's Guide to the Charities Act 1992 was prepared and issued by the Charity Commissioners as part of their statutory duty to provide advice and guidance to charities. Home Office Ministers were aware of the preparation of the booklet but its text, as with other publications by the commissioners, was a matter for the commissioners themselves.
Whilst the noble Earl is technically correct, the purpose of the booklet is to provide a readily understandable guide to the trustees of charities. The regulations will be made by the Home Secretary, and they will then be laid before Parliament for approval.