Clause 5
Charities Bill [Lords]
5:30 pm
Lynda Waltho (PPS (Mr David Hanson, Minister of State), Northern Ireland Office; Stourbridge, Labour)
I draw attention to subsection (3) because I am particularly worried about the proposal to omit miners welfare trusts from the special provisions category. I am sure that right hon. and hon. Members have experience of such trusts. I have a miners welfare association in my constituency. The Beech Tree Miners Welfare Association in Wollescote provides great assistance to miners, ex-miners, their families and widows. It assists with matters like aids and adaptations. It is its centre of the community. Most community events take place there, such as family weddings. It is a polling station. It runs youth clubs and has all sorts of recreational facilities for the whole community. It is most definitely of great benefit to the community, so I am greatly worried that it is to be omitted. Will my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary reconsider the special provision to ascertain whether it is necessary to omit miners welfare association charities?