Memorandum from Mind (DCH 293)
INTRODUCTION
Mind is the leading mental health charity in
England and Wales. We work for a better life for everyone with
experience of mental distress by:
advancing the views, needs and ambitions of people
with experience of mental distress; promoting inclusion through
challenging discrimination; influencing policy through campaigning
and education; inspiring the development of quality services which
reflect expressed need and diversity; achieving equal civil and
legal rights through campaigning and education.
SUMMARY
1. We broadly welcome the Government's proposals
for the Bill and support NCVO's submission to the Joint Committee.
2. We would make specific comments on:
3. Audit threshold—Although we agree
with the principle, Mind have slight concerns that raising the
threshold to £500,000 gross income may adversely affect public
confidence in the finances of charities.
4. Regulation of fundraising—As a
member of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority (PFRA) Mind
endorse the (PFRA) position on self-regulation. We share the PFRAs
concerns on the impact of implementation of the proposed legislation
and the additional burden this would place on charities.
5. Charitable collections—Whilst we
broadly support the proposals, we are concerned that notifying
the local authority of where and when charities will be undertaking
door to door collections will not be practical and that this creates
additional bureaucracy for charities. This particularly affects
our trading subsidiary, Minds Matter, collecting goods for sale
in Mind shops and we would seek to see clarification on how this
element would be addressed within the bill. Additionally, we are
concerned about the capacity of Local Authorities to undertake
this work and the impact this will have both on Local Authorities
and charities.
6. Sponsorship and Trading—Mind endorses
the Charity Finance Directors' Groups (CFDG) submission on this.
The inclusion of an amendment to allow charities to undertake
trading without the need for a separate trading company would
reduce the burden, both administratively and financially of charities
if funds from trading and sponsorship were allowed to be received
directly by the charity. Mind would, therefore, welcome inclusion
of a clause to the bill on trading.
July 2004
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