§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in achieving the recommendations of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit's report "Private Action, Public Benefit"; [111647]
(2) what plans there are to create a new public benefit test to determine an organisation's eligibility for charitable status. [111648]
§ Beverley HughesThe Strategy Unit report is a report to Government and does not represent settled Government policy. Home Office officials are currently completing their analysis of the responses to those recommendations for which the Home Office has responsibility. It is the Government's intention to publish in the summer a summary of the responses to the consultation and an indication of the Government's view as to the way forward on the implementation of the recommendations, including those relating to public benefit.
Where recommendations have commanded general support and do not require legislation, we aim to move as quickly as possible to implement them, although some may first need further policy development work.
However, legislation would be needed to give effect to many of the recommendations. The Home Secretary has given a commitment to publish a draft charities Bill as soon as possible.