CHARITY LAW REFORM

1
CHARITY LAW REFORM

• SIMON MACKINTOSH
• TURCAN CONNELL
• EDINBURGH
• AUGUST 31, 2004

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CHARITIES AND TRUSTEE INVESTMENT (SCOTLAND) BILL

• Reform of definition
• Reform of regulation
• Extension of investment powers
• Deregulatory measures
• Fundraising practices

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ROLE OF CHARITY STEWARDS

• Duties in clause 50
• Trustee/Steward
• Standards of care
• Implications of breach

4
THE REGULATOR

• Structure of the body
• Remit in Bill
• What might be missing?
• Is the name wrong?

5
THE REGISTER

• OSCR to keep
• OSCRs recognition function
• Existing charities?
• Position of English charities
• The Annual Return

6
OSCR POWERS

• Information gathering
• Direction giving power
• Court application
• Removal from Register
• Suspension
• Restrict transactions

7
THE COURTS

• Interdict
• Judicial Factor
• Appoint/suspend/remove Trustees
• Prevent disposal of assets
• Approve transfer scheme

8
APPEALS SYSTEM

• Internal review
• Scottish Charity Appeals Panel
• The Courts

9
FUNDRAISING

• Minimum standards
• Self regulation
• Public benevolent collections
• Designated national collectors

10
REORGANISATION

• Conditions
• Reorganisation scheme
• OSCR/Trustees apply to Court
• Small charities avoid Court

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INVESTMENT POWERS

• Joint report of Law Commissions
• Wide powers to invest/acquire land
• Suitability/diversification
• Advice
• Omissions?
• delegation
• nominees
• supervision

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NEW FORM

• Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation
• Limited or unlimited liability
• Charities only
• OSCR supervision

13
DEFINITION

• New definition
• The prevention or relief of poverty
• The advancement of education
• The advancement of religion
• The advancement of health
• The advancement of the arts, heritage or science
  Scotland adds culture
• The advancement of amateur sport
• The advancement of human rights, conflict
  resolution or reconciliation
• The advancement of environmental protection or
  improvement
• The advancement of animal welfare

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DEFINITION CNTD

• Civic responsibility/citizenship or community
  development
• Relief of those in need
• or provision of accommodation
• provision of care
• Other purposes for community benefit
• or
• Existing purposes and analogous ones

15
PUBLIC BENEFIT

• Remove presumption
• Part of charity test
• Where is the law and guidance coming from?
• The discarded principles
• Wide ranging nature of charities

16
TIMETABLE

• November 04 further draft
• 2005 legislation
• 2006 implementation
• Query Westminster

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GETTING RECOGNISED

• Still IR
• Regulator more visible already
• Transfer of process on implementation