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Plenary, 19 Mar 2003

19 Mar 2003 · S1 · Plenary

Item of business

Charity Law Reform

Fabiani, Linda SNP Central Scotland Watch on SPTV

Like my colleague Tricia Marwick, I did not sign up to Jackie Baillie's motion. That was not because I did not want it to be discussed—I want it to be discussed—and it was not because I have any problems with the commitment of Jackie Baillie and loads of other members to reforming charity law. However, I wonder a wee bit about the Executive's commitment—after all, four years down the line and four social justice ministers later, we do not yet have a bill on charity law reform to look at. Way back in 1999, the then Minister for Communities, Wendy Alexander, pledged to reform charity law in Scotland. However, after the McFadden report, it was an inordinately long time before the Executive responded properly.

Charity law reform is a social justice issue—it is interesting that social justice ministers have spoken about it and that the Social Justice Committee has been pushing it. Hugh Henry should not take this point personally, but I am concerned that the issue is now under the justice remit—last week in the chamber, Jim Wallace answered questions about charity law reform. That worries me, because the ethos of each portfolio and department is different. The social justice ethos is, "We can do this and we want to do it, so how are we going do it?" I often feel that the justice ethos is, "Why can't we achieve this?" I worry that that has held things up.

Another issue that could have held up reform is the on-going problem that we have with the authorities that deal with the voluntary sector. The amount of knowledge and expertise within the voluntary sector and the fact that people in the voluntary sector can run the agenda themselves are sometimes not recognised. That is down not so much to members of the Parliament or ministers—I do not doubt for a minute that our social justice ministers have all recognised the value of the voluntary sector—as to officials, who sometimes have a problem with recognising those facts. I talk from experience, having worked for a voluntary organisation. I know that there is a perception that people who work for voluntary organisations or charities are not right up there in knowing how to move forward—they are perceived as a bit wishy-washy. I would like ministers to take that problem on board.

There is an on-going example of that problem. I notice in the Executive's response to the McFadden report that the Inland Revenue charities register will be overhauled and reviewed, so that charities that no longer exist are removed from it. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations has taken such an approach for 10 years, with its charities register in Scotland database, which is constantly updated and as a result is the most modern and up-to-date register of where charities are at in Scotland today. Why cannot we use that? Why cannot the Executive say, "The information is there; we don't need to waste time or money on doing another survey of the Inland Revenue register"? I ask the minister how much that will cost, how long it will take and whether the process will delay reform yet again.

I have two quick points to finish. Can we get the ethos of social justice back into charity law reform? Can we all make the commitment that, no matter who is in the Executive after 1 May, charity law reform will be a high priority on everybody's agenda?

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Plenary, 19 Mar 2003

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