DDB 88 Charity Commission
Submission by the Charity
Commission to the
Joint Committee on the Draft
Disability Discrimination Bill
Joint Committee on the Draft Disability
Discrimination Bill- Call for Evidence
1. The Charity Commission
The Charity Commission is established
by law as the regulator and registrar for charities in England
and Wales. Our approach is to regulate with the object of promoting
compliance with charity law and equipping charities to work more
effectively and efficiently. As part of promoting sound governance
we would expect charities to comply with equality legislation
and good practice. We recommend that charities encourage diversity
both in their work force and amongst their volunteers.
2. Volunteering Context
The Institute of Volunteering has estimated
that 22 million people work for charities free in the United Kingdom
every year, contributing 88 million hours of their time per week.
There is a huge range of ways in which people volunteer both
in terms of the activity and the time commitment. For example
this can range from helping at a local parent teacher association
jumble sale to acting as the Chair of trustees for a large household
name charity.
3. Response to Disability Rights
Commission Proposals
The Charity Commission notes that you
are seeking views on the suggestion by the Disability Rights Commission
(DRC) that the Draft Disability Discrimination Bill be amended
to cover volunteers. From their submission to the Joint Committee
it is our understanding that the Disability Rights Commission
are asking for an enabling power within the Bill which would have
the potential to include or not include volunteers at a later
date. The Disability Rights Commission wants an enabling power
in case good practice is not proved sufficient. A statutory instrument
would still be needed to include volunteers within the Bill.
The Charity Commission would expect
charities to comply with good practice guidance on avoiding discrimination
against volunteers who are disabled. We would presume that the
Disability Rights Commission (DRC) would inform charities about
any good practice guidance. However, we would support the DRC's
recommendation for an enabling power within the Disability Discrimination
Bill as a back up measure, in order to protect volunteers and
support their continued contribution to the effectiveness of the
charitable sector.
The Charity Commission would only wish
to support secondary legislation under the following conditions:
- that the charitable sector are
fully informed and consulted about the shape of any proposed new
duties;
- that there is a recognition of
the different types of volunteering and a proportionate approach
to regulation to take account of this;
- that there is the right balance
between securing the rights of disabled people and imposing duties
and costs on charities.
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