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Charities Bill [HL]

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 36. This amendment is designed to give the court power to grant relief from personal liability to the charity trustees of a charitable incorporated organisation or CIO. Section 61 of the Trustee Act 1925 gives the court the power to grant relief to trustees, but the charity trustees of a CIO are not trustees within Section 61 of that Act. Section 727 of the Companies Act 1985 gives the court the power to grant relief to the officers of a company, but that, too, does not at present apply in the case of a CIO. This amendment therefore provides for Section 727 of the Companies Act also to have effect in relation to the charity trustees of a CIO. We are indebted to the honourable Member for the Isle of Wight, who is the counterpart in another place of the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts. Between them, they spotted the gap and the need for this amendment. I am grateful to them both. Moved, That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 36.—(Lord Bassam of Brighton.) On Question, Motion agreed to. 37: Clause 39, page 39, line 23, leave out ““Secretary of State”” and insert ““Minister”” 38: Clause 40, page 41, line 27, leave out ““Secretary of State”” and insert ““Minister”” 39: Clause 41, page 45, line 1, leave out ““Secretary of State”” and insert ““Minister”” 40: Clause 42, page 45, line 24, at end insert ““in response to the question put to the meeting””