New Clause 6
Charities Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Martin Horwood (Shadow Minister (Environment), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Cheltenham, Liberal Democrat)
Briefly, I wish to commend the spirit of the new clause. I reassure the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East, that even under current charity law there is latitude for trustees to be appointed in such circumstances. My own experience of the Alzheimer’s Society, which deals not only with Alzheimer’s disease but with other forms of dementia, included the moment when the first person with dementia was appointed as a trustee. His business experience, intelligence and different perspective on the running of the charity was incredibly valuable and he was a very effective trustee. The nature of his dementia did not preclude him from involvement in any of the charity’s decision making. I am not sure that the hon. Gentleman’s fears are well founded, but I commend to the Minister the spirit of the new clause.