Our latest update on what’s going on in Westminster that might impact charities, including a delay to the controversial police bill and a new interim chair of the Charity Commission.
Parliament
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill has been delayed, with the Commons committee stage set to take place later in the year.
The controversial bill, which includes sweeping powers to restrict protests, is the subject of significant concern from civil society. A carry-over motion has been agreed, which means the bill can be brought back in the next parliamentary session.
Charity Commission decision on the National Trust
The Charity Commission has found there were no grounds for regulatory action against the National Trust over its report on links between its properties, colonialism and slavery.
It wasn’t a surprise that the Commission made this finding, but it was welcome that they stated very clearly that charities are “allowed to campaign and to take controversial positions in support of their purpose”. If you’re a charity that is seeking to engage on a contentious issue, it’s worth reading the blogs by Helen Stephenson and Hilary McGrady discussing the issue.
People news
After a change to the law, attorney general Suella Braverman has become the first cabinet minister to take maternity leave. Michael Ellis will take up the post, with Lucy Frazer replacing him as solicitor general.
By-elections
SNP MP Neil Gray has resigned to stand in Airdrie and Shotts at the upcoming Scottish parliamentary election, the same area he has represented in Westminster, initiating a by-election.
Labour MP Mike Hill has also stood down, meaning a by-election will also be held in Hartlepool.
A new party
Two SNP MPs have defected to Alex Salmond’s new Alba party. Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey have made the move ahead of the Scottish parliamentary election, in which Mr Salmond has said his new party will aim to secure a super-majority for Scottish independence.
Charity Commission interim chair
Ian Karet has taken over as interim chair at the Charity Commission, after Baroness Stowell announced she would not seek a second term. A solicitor and deputy high court judge, Mr Karet has served on the Commission’s board for two years.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has started advertising for a permanent chair, with applications open until 9 April, with an announcement expected in the summer.
Consultations and inquiries
- The Public Accounts Committee is looking into how effectively the £750 million of funding provided by the government to charities has been distributed and spent. The deadline for submissions is Thursday 8 April, and the committee is particularly interested in hearing from organisations who went through the application process.
- The Home Office has launched a consultation on introducing a ‘protect duty’ for organisations who own, or operate at, publicly accessible locations. The proposed duty would require organisations to consider or implement specific measures to enhance protection from terrorist attacks. The consultation closes on Friday 2 July.
- The Cabinet Office’s Disability Unit is running a survey of disabled people, carers, and others with an interest in disability issues as part of its work in developing a national strategy for disabled people. The survey is open until Friday 23 April.
Chris is NCVO’s public affairs manager, focusing on parliamentary work. He started his career working for several MPs in Parliament, and has also worked in public affairs and policy roles for the Federation of Small Businesses. 
