---

Charities Bill [HL]

I support my noble friend Lord Swinfen in introducing the word ““reasonable””. When the Bill was discussed previously in Committee there was a certain reluctance by the Government to include that word, and it is difficult to understand why it should not be included if, as the Government claim, there is already a duty to be reasonable. There are many small charities and the Charity Commission is always quite free and easy in telling them what to do. The presence of the word ““reasonable”” would give charities the confidence to stand up to an organisation that has an inclination to do its own thing rather than support those who are giving.