Ashley Dalton

I am grateful to have secured this debate and to raise an issue that is important not only to my constituents but to everyone who relies on the vital work of charities. It concerns whether the Charity Commission currently has the necessary powers and resources to respond effectively when charities are not properly governed. A charity’s ability to operate successfully and serve our communities depends on public trust. Well-governed charities can make an enormous difference to people’s lives, and trusteeship carries series legal responsibilities. Trustees are custodians of charitable assets, and they must comply with the governing documents and manage the charity’s resources responsibly to ensure that activities further charitable purposes. When charities are not appropriately governed, the consequences are significant, and it undermines public confidence and deprives the local communities they are supposed to serve. When trustees fail to meet their responsibilities, there must be an effective regulator with the powers and resources to intervene swifty and restore public trust in the charity sector, the vast majority of which does an excellent job. That is the role of the Charity Commission. I acknowledge the important work of the Charity Commission. It regulates more than 170,000 charities in England and Wales, overseeing a sector that is responsible for tens of billions of pounds in annual income and expenditure. It has a range of statutory powers, including the ability to investigate misconduct and mismanagement, to require information and documents, to issue official warnings, to suspend or remove trustees, and in appropriate circumstances to appoint interim managers.