Wednesday Volume 585 10 September 2014 No. 36 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 10 September 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 889 10 SEPTEMBER 2014 890 Richard Burden: First, I welcome the Minister to his House of Commons place. When it seems pretty clear that the National Audit Office had some pretty damning conclusions Wednesday 10 September 2014 regarding the mismanagement of over £2 million of public money to the Big Society Network, and when, in my own constituency, the SWEET project, which got a The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock big society award, ends up having money cut by the Government because it does precisely the innovation PRAYERS work that it got the award for in the first place, what exactly, in this day and age, does the big society mean? While he is at it, will the Minister look into the circumstances [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] surrounding the cuts to the SWEET project? BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Mr Newmark: I shall certainly look into the matter that the hon. Member has asked me to. We welcome the QUEEN’S SPEECH (ANSWER TO ADDRESS) NAO’s report and have learned the lessons from this THE VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD reported experience. There are no conclusions that the Cabinet to the House, That Her Majesty, having been attended Office did anything untoward in this regard. All the with its Address of 4th June, was pleased to receive the report says is that we did not adhere to the guidance we same very graciously and give the following Answer: issued for this particular programme on a couple of I have received with great satisfaction the dutiful and points. loyal expression of thanks for the speech with which I opened the present Session of Parliament. Pat Glass: Is it true that the Prime Minister’s flagship Big Society Network is now being investigated by the ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS charity commissioners over allegations of misuse of THE VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD reported Government funding and inappropriate payments to to the House, That the humble Address, praying that directors, including a Tory donor? Her Majesty will appoint Lord Horam and David Howarth as electoral commissioners for the period ending on Mr Newmark: This has been investigated and no 30 September 2018, was presented to Her Majesty, who evidence of impropriety has been found. was graciously pleased to comply with the request. Lisa Nandy (Wigan) (Lab): None of us could let that NEW WRIT go. Thanks to the National Audit Office’s report, we Ordered, now know that the Government’s big society lies in That the Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the tatters. We have since learned that the charity the Prime Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to Minister personally launched at No. 10 Downing street serve in this present Parliament for the County constituency of is not only under investigation by the Charity Commission, Heywood and Middleton in the room of James Dobbin, deceased.— but is under investigation for moving Cabinet Office (Ms Winterton.) funding to its parent company, which is chaired by a major Conservative party donor who also earned hefty consultancy fees from it. Was the Cabinet Secretary Oral Answers to Questions aware that Government funding was being transferred not to the thousands of legitimate charities in this country, but to the bank account of a Conservative party donor? CABINET OFFICE Mr Newmark: This allegation has been investigated The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked— by the grants manager, and appropriate action to recover Big Society Network any funds not spent in line with the grant agreement is being taken. 1. Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the implications for Political Activity (Charity Commission Guidance) his Department’s policies of the National Audit Office’s recent report on funding arrangements for the 2. Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con): What assessment Big Society Network. [905293] he has made of the scope of the Charity Commission 3. Pat Glass (North West Durham) (Lab): What guidance on campaigning and political activity; and if assessment he has made of the implications for his he will make a statement. [905294] Department’s policies of the National Audit Office’s recent report on funding arrangements for the Big The Minister for Civil Society (Mr Brooks Newmark): Society Network. [905295] Charities play an important role in shaping Government policy. Indeed, Departments are working on the The Minister for Civil Society (Mr Brooks Newmark): development and implementation of many our policies. I take this report seriously. I am satisfied that the issues However, it has long been the case that the law and raised concerned adherence to process, and therefore do Charity Commission guidance prohibits charities from not feel that there are any implications for the policies party political campaigning and activities. I believe that of my Department. that is the right position. 891 Oral Answers10 SEPTEMBER 2014 Oral Answers 892 Charlie Elphicke: Does the Minister nevertheless agree Government Reform (Savings Programme) that it would be right to return to the Charity Commission guidance of 2004, which ensured that charities focused 4. Mike Freer (Finchley and Golders Green) (Con): on social justice and helping people in need on the front What progress he has made on his programme to line, not on big marketing budgets and playing party achieve savings from greater efficiency in and reform of politics? central Government. [905296] Mr Newmark: The Charity Commission’s guidance is The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster clear about what charities can and cannot do and General (Mr Francis Maude): On 10 June, my right hon. reflects the commission’s view of the underlying law. Friend the Chancellor and I announced savings through The guidance was last reviewed in 2009. The Charity efficiency reform of central Government of £14.3 billion Commission has said that it keeps all its guidance under for the last financial year, measured against a 2009-10 review to ensure that it remains relevant and up to date, baseline. These savings include both recurring and non- but it has no immediate plans to amend its guidance on recurring items, and include £5.4 billion from procurement campaigning and political activity. and commercial savings, £3.3 billion in project savings and £4.7 billion from work force reform and pension Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South) (Lab): Since 1921 savings. the Royal British Legion has undertaken political campaigns for the benefit of military veterans and their families. Mike Freer: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for Will the charities Minister please affirm the right of that answer. Is he able to quantify the specific savings to charities to undertake political campaigning in line with the taxpayer from Government Departments and agencies their charitable objectives? If he cannot say that loud now being required to share buildings, rather than and clear, could he please get back to his knitting? having their own stand-alone premises? Mr Newmark: I take the hon. Lady’s point and I was Mr Maude: We have got out of a huge number of expecting a question along those lines, so I have stitched properties. We have reduced our office estate by the together a response for her. Charities, with all their equivalent of 26 times the size of Buckingham palace, expertise, have long been at the forefront of helping to raising £1.4 billion in capital receipts and saving £625 million tackle some of the country’s biggest social challenges in running costs. Our One Public Estate programme, and have an important role to play in helping shape a which is working very closely with a number of local Government policy, but they must stay out of party authorities, is saving even more money and releasing politics, which has been a long-standing requirement by property for the private sector to create jobs and growth charity law—[Interruption.] Is the hon. Member for by local government, central Government and indeed Wigan (Lisa Nandy), who is chuntering, saying that her the wider public sector co-locating, which both saves party seeks to change the law? money and is more convenient for the public. Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con): I am grateful Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): to the Minister for his response and to my hon. Friend Cost-effectiveness is of course something that all of us the Member for Dover (Charlie Elphicke) for tabling should aim for, but does the Minister agree that in the question. Was it not the Leader of the Opposition trying to achieve that it would be better if best practice who, when in government, commissioned the report was shared right across the United Kingdom, including that changed the Charity Commission guidelines, which Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland? are giving so many people so much concern? Mr Maude: We try to promulgate good practice as Mr Newmark: My hon. Friend is absolutely right, but best we can. We are, however, localists. We believe that I want to stick to the main point. Charities have enormous the wider public sector—those who have responsibility expertise and can contribute to shaping Government and are accountable for the way in which the wider policy. I want to make it clear that political campaigning public sector operates—must be responsible for their by charities is absolutely right, but it is important that own decisions.