Clause 3
Charities Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Edward Miliband (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Cabinet Office; Doncaster North, Labour)
I always hesitate to disagree with my right hon. Friend, but ultimately there must be some benefit to the public in order to show “public benefit”. It is pretty clear from established case law that animal welfare charities are deemed to provide public benefit, because there is public benefit in avoiding cruelty and suffering to animals and that redounds to the benefit of humankind. That is my understanding of the basis on which the courts have made their decisions. In a way, the meaning of public benefit is that it must provide benefit to the public.