Minister starts review of Charity Commission after ‘damaged public confidence’

The Minister for Communities has commissioned an independent review of the Charity Commission, noting that confidence in the regulatory area has “undoubtedly been damaged”.
Department For Communities

Minister Caral Ní Chuilín has decided to start the review.Department For Communities

Minister Caral Ní Chuilín has decided to start the review.
Department For Communities Minister Caral Ní Chuilín has decided to start the review.

In June it emerged the Commission had failed to formally register 6,000 charities while last month it apologised for a legal threat made against an RUC widow.

In an assembly question TUV leader Jim Allister asked the Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, what action has been taken in respect of the commission in the wake of the Baume report.

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Written by senior civil servant Jonathan Baume, it was commissioned by then head of the Civil Service David Sterling and completed in August. It looked at how the Department for Communities (DfC) had handled complaints from a member of the public in relation to the commission.

Mr Sterling asked DfC to respond to the report’s suggestions, which are currently being progressed, Ms Ní Chuilín said.

One suggestion was to consider DfC’s role as the custodian of charity regulation and sponsorship of the commission, she added.

“The Department’s Head of Governance has also written to the Chief Commissioner to seek assurances in relation to matters highlighted in the Review,” she said. “In order to restore public confidence in a system that has undoubtedly been damaged, I have also decided to commission an independent review of charity regulation including a review of the performance of the Charity Commission in its role as statutory regulator.”

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Mr Allister welcomed the response from DfC adding that he trusted it will be “truly independent”.

He added: “It is imperative that the approach is robust and unrestrained by notions of damage limitation. The Charity Commission needs a thorough shake up. Thus, I will judge this matter by outcomes, rather than the optics of a review.”

In June the commission offered a “sincere apology” in relation to how it had handled an investigation into allegations of loyalist Jamie Bryson forging a signature on a charity’s annual accounts.

Mr Bryson said last night that there had been “significant strides forward” at the commission since the appointment of current Chief Commissioner Nicole Lappin.

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“However given the apparent serious and systemic issues - addressed partly by the Baume report - it’s right and proper there is an independent review.”

 DfC said recent events, including a Court of Appeal Judgment on the delegation of commission authority to commission staff, has “damaged public confidence”.

“In this context, the Minister has decided to commission an independent review of charity regulation, to include the performance of the Commission as the current regulator.”

DfC added that the minister will appoint the panel and the format of the review is currently being determined.

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