---

Charities Bill [Lords]

My hon. Friend says from a sedentary position that Lord Phillips has left the other place. Lord Phillips talked about precisely this issue, and I know how much he is relied on by the Liberal Democrats. In speaking to an amendment in Grand Committee, he said:"““The phrase ‘or belief’ has no constraint to it at all…‘belief’ on its own could embrace eugenics, hunting or a thousand and one other things. Frankly, we would be in a dark, deep, uncharted sea if the amendment were agreed.””—[Official Report, House of Lords, 3 February 2005; Vol. 669, c.GC45.]" I tend to agree with him on that point. The reason that the amendment is undesirable is that it would potentially open up charity law and charitable status to a whole range of organisations. As the noble Lord said, we would be in uncharted territory.