DCH 28 Margaret Fawcett
34 Horseman Lane, Copmanthorpe,
York,
Y023 3UE
27th May, 2004
Francine Graham,
Clerk,
Joint Committee on the Draft
Charities Bill,
SWIP 2JA
Dear Madam,
re: Charitable Status for
Independent Schools
The historical charitable
endowments provided by benefactors to educate children, often
poor children, haye now been incorporated into large education
"businesses" catering to the already privileged in the
majority of cases.
The bursaries offered by certain
private schools are dependent on entry requirements and cannot
be regarded as charitable if charitable is defined as :public
benefit". Any extra—curricular activities by the private
schools for the "general good", thereby supposedly qualifying
as for "charitable purposes" are equally made by the
staff, parents and pupils of State schools voluntarily for charities
of interest to the children, in addition to raising money for
school funds.
I understand that an estimated
£120m in tax relief goes to Independent schools under the
guise of charitable status and as a taxpayer I do not want to
subscribe to this system which promotes and sustains inequalities
in our society.
As
a long-standing
member of Amnesty International which I joined out of compassion
and a desire for a more just and fair society, that is, for the
"general good" I would urge that the definition of charity
should surely be applied for this organisation.
Yours faithfully,
Margaret Fawcett
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