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20 Apr 2009 : Column 353W—continued
As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your question (269357) regarding the number of charities that have opened and closed each year since 2004 and each month since January 2008.
I attach below tables which set out the number of charities that registered with the Charity Commission and the number of charities that were removed from the Register for each year since 2004 and for each month since January 2008.
The tables below refer to those charities which are required to register with the Commission by law. Smaller charities are not required to register with us; the threshold for registration was an annual income of £1,000 for the periods shown by the tables until April 2008 when this threshold was increased to £5,000.
Charities are removed from the Register for a number of different reasons and the figures below are not directly representative of the number of charities that are wound down during any one period. The peak in removals seen in the figures for November 2008 represents the removal of dormant charities from the Register. Likewise the number of charity registrations is not directly representative of the number of charities that have been opened during any one period. For example charities that are opened with an annual income below the threshold do not have to register and other charities may only register when their income rises above this threshold.
| Removals | Registrations | |
| Month | Removals | Registrations | |
I hope this is helpful.
Charities: Finance
Mr. Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Government's response to the National Audit Office report on Capacitybuilders and Futurebuilders. [267957]
Kevin Brennan:
I welcome the NAO report and its findings, and want to ensure that we continue to develop our approach to get the best value for money possible. I hope to work closely with colleagues from across
Government to respond to any recommendations that the Public Accounts Committee may make, which will be informed by this report.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the implications of the findings of the Charity Commission in its recent report on Age Concern for his Department’s (a) policies affecting and (b) funding channelled through the charity sector. [268718]
Kevin Brennan: The Charity Commission’s regulatory case report into Age Concern England and its Heyday membership scheme raised some wider issues for the charity sector. In particular, the report highlighted the importance of strong governance arrangements alongside accountability and transparency. The Office of the Third Sector promotes good governance in the third sector, for example through the leadership and governance workstream of Capacitybuilders’ National Support Services Programme. In relation to the Department’s funding of the charity sector, appropriate controls and monitoring arrangements are in place both before any grant funding is awarded, and for the duration of any funding agreement.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of financial controls in those charitable organisations through which his Department channels funding. [268720]
Kevin Brennan: All organisations receiving grant funding directly from the Office of the Third Sector are required to complete an Internal Financial Controls Checklist for Charities provided by the Charity Commission
and provide three references. The checklist ensures that any organisation receiving funding has secure financial controls in place.
Funding agreements with organisations are monitored on an on-going basis as per the terms and conditions of the particular agreement in place.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to increase the level of monitoring undertaken by the Charity Commission of the use by charitable organisations of the donations which they receive. [268721]
Kevin Brennan: As the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, the Charity Commission is not subject to ministerial direction or control. The Commission's statutory objectives were recently reviewed and updated in the Charities Act 2006. This included increasing public confidence in charities, promoting compliance by charity trustees with their legal obligations in exercising control and management of the administration of their charities, promoting the effective use of charitable resources and enhancing the accountability of charities to donors, beneficiaries and the general public. The Commission has wide powers of intervention where there is evidence of misconduct or mismanagement. It operates a risk-based approach to the regulation of charities. This is set out in its published Risk and Proportionality Framework, and I have placed a copy in the House Library.
Charities: Standards
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will bring forward proposals to improve standards of governance in charitable organisations. [268949]
Kevin Brennan: Charity trustees are already subject to a number of legal duties and obligations. The Charity Commission provides a range of advice, guidance and support to help charity trustees meet their legal obligations and strengthen their governance arrangements. The Government also continues to support the development of resources and learning to promote high standards of governance in the sector, for example through the governance and leadership workstream of Capacitybuilders’ National Support Services.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Cabinet Office spent on works and refurbishment to offices allocated to Ministers in departmental buildings in the last 12 months. [252418]
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what minor works have been undertaken in Downing Street (a) offices and (b) ministerial residences in the last year for which audited figures are available. [252424]
Kevin Brennan: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 13 March 2009, Official Report, column 801W.
Departmental Internet
Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what budget has been assigned to his Department's Real Help Now website for each of the next three years; and whether other Government Departments have provided funding. [259523]
Mr. Byrne: The Real Help Now website brings together information about the range of support available during the economic downturn and makes it easier for people and businesses to access that support.
The development budget for the site in this financial year (2008-09) was less than £10,000 and falls within the existing Cabinet Office communications budget. Ongoing maintenance costs for the site will form part within the Cabinet Office communications budget which is yet to be agreed for the next three years. No other Departments have provided funding.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his latest estimate is of his Department's capital expenditure in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [268113]
Kevin Brennan: Capital expenditure in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 is currently projected to be £53.896 million, £50.471 million and £51.387 million respectively. 2011-12 is outside the current comprehensive spending review period and an estimate of expenditure is not available.
Departmental Security
Nick Harvey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what access independent security assessors appointed to review the security function of his Department have to his Department's premises. [267978]
Kevin Brennan: The Department ensures that all personnel engaged in providing a security advisory role have the relevant and appropriate access to perform their function.
Employment
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people have been employed in the medium-sized business sector in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. [268376]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people have been employed in the medium-sized business sector in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. (268376)
The table below show the number of employees within the size-band 50-199 employees from 1998 to 2007. Figures for 1997 are not available.
| Number of employees in the employee size-band 50-199 | ||||
| Jarrow c onstituency | South Tyneside | North East | England | |
| Note: Estimates for 2005 and earlier period are on a different basis to those from 2006 onwards. A preliminary assessment of changes in survey methodology suggests that the estimated total number of employees (for GB at the whole economy level) was reduced by around 1 per cent. Direct comparisons of employee estimates should therefore be treated with caution. Source: Annual Business Inquiry | ||||
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