§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What evidence the Charity Commission has found of a lack of a clear distinction between the work of the Scarman Trust (formerly the Charter 88 Trust) and others, and which those others are.
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Charity Commission investigated the complaint about the report entitledThe Untouchables, which was incorrectly ascribed to the Scarman Trust. This raised questions about links between the charity and three other organisations: the Democratic Audit of the University of Essex, Charter 88, and Charter 88 Publications Limited. It was also found that a number of other publications have been produced by the charity in association with the Democratic Audit.
Whilst occasioning some confusion, such a collaborative approach to the achievement of a charity's objects is not unusual and does not in itself give rise to any particular cause for concern. I understand that the charity is taking steps to ensure that it maintains a proper independence from Charter 88.