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Charities Bill [HL]

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, said, we discussed this at Second Reading and in Committee on 28 June. The noble Lord is concerned about the issue. In Committee he said:"““There is a significant gap in the regulation of charities which has historically been concerned only with the material assets of a charity””." He also said:"““As charities exist for their beneficiaries, it is rather odd that charity law allows the regulator to ignore their interests””.—[Official Report, 28/6/05; col. 193.]" I take issue with the assertion that there is a gap either now or when the Bill is passed. Section 1(4) of the Charities Act 1993 states:"““It shall be the general object of the Commissioners so to act in the case of any charity . . . as best to promote and make effective the work of the charity in meeting the needs designated by its trusts””." I repeat the phrase,"““the needs designated by its trusts””." Whose needs? It is the beneficiaries’ needs. The commission’s new objectives in the Bill also have the interests of beneficiaries.