The Salvation Army is very supportive of the intention to modernise and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Charities Act (the Act).
However, we submit that this process and the scope of the Review are not sufficient to achieve the intended purposes of the Review. This view is based on the following reasons:
We propose that a more independent body like the Law Commission undertake a broader and more comprehensive review of the Act. There is a precedent for this from 2013 when the Law Commission reviewed the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.
This review resulted in the Law Commission recommending a new, more modern and fit-for-purpose Incorporated Societies Act is drafted and passed into legislation to replace the 1908 Act. We contend that directing the Law Commission’s considerable resources towards reviewing this Act would lead to a stronger and more impactful review.