# Institute of Fundraising welcomes draft Charity Bill

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/06/02/institute-fundraising-welcomes-draft-charity-bill/
- Published: 2004-06-02T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Institute of Fundraising says that it welcomes the publication of the draft
Charities Bill for England and Wales, with its proposed overhauling of charity and
fundraising law.**

Lindsay Boswell, CEO of the Institute of Fundraising, described the draft Charities
Bill as “a real opportunity for the sector” and urged the Government to ensure that
the draft Bill is passed into law in 2005, following proper consultation.

The Institute will be submitting its views on the detail of the Bill to the Joint
Committee shortly and mr Boswell urge other fundraising organisations to do the 
same.

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The draft Bill includes a number of proposed changes to the way in which fundraising
is carried out and regulated. These include proposals for a new licensing scheme
for public collections, changes to accounting practices, and reserve powers to introduce
regulation of fundraising if a self-regulatory scheme does not work.

Lindsay Boswell said: “The proposals for a self-regulatory scheme for fundraising
that have been discussed in recent months sit alongside the measures announced in
the Charities Bill. It is important that the fundraising sector ensures that such
a scheme is successfully implemented to prevent the Home Secretary from implementing
legislation in this area in the future.”

Andrew Watt, Head of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive, said: “The Public Collection
proposals are practicable and sensible. Government have listened to the views of
the sector and together a unified licensing system has been developed, which will
make public collections regulations more consistent and clearer for the public to
understand.”

He added that “some of the most influential changes proposed as part of the Charities
Bill are those that relate to reports and accounts. An ability to use the Trustees’
report to put fundraising in context and to present a picture of the strategic importance
of its funding role will enable all of us to communicate our activities more openly
and transparently.”

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