This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| All-Party Parliamentary Group on Charity and Voluntary Sector | |
|---|---|
| Name | All-Party Parliamentary Group on Charity and Voluntary Sector |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Type | All‑Party Parliamentary Group |
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Parent organization | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Westminster |
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Charity and Voluntary Sector The All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Charity and Voluntary Sector is an informal cross‑party group operating within the House of Commons and the House of Lords that focuses on the interests of the charity and voluntary sector in the United Kingdom. It brings together Members of Parliament, Peers, and external stakeholders to examine legislation, funding, and operational challenges affecting organisations such as British Red Cross, Shelter (charity), Oxfam, Turn2us and Coram.
The group was formed to provide a forum where MPs from parties including the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK), Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, and Green Party of England and Wales can liaise with charities such as Save the Children, Cancer Research UK, RSPCA, Royal British Legion, and Mind (charity) about statutory frameworks like the Charities Act 2011, funding mechanisms used by Big Lottery Fund, and regulatory oversight by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It aims to influence parliamentary scrutiny of bills introduced in the House of Commons and the House of Lords and to shape policy debates related to tax reliefs like Gift Aid, commissioning practices involving Cabinet Office procurement, and grant programmes administered by Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Membership comprises MPs and Peers drawn from constituencies represented alongside peers linked to organizations including House of Commons, House of Lords, Civic Trust, and think tanks such as the Institute for Public Policy Research and Centre for Policy Studies. Leadership roles—chair, vice‑chairs, and officers—have been held by parliamentarians with links to stakeholders like Prince's Trust, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and FaithAction. Chairs frequently coordinate with parliamentary committees such as the Public Accounts Committee (UK) and Select Committee on Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs to organise inquiries and evidence sessions.
The group organises hearings, roundtables, and inquiries often hosted in venues in Westminster Hall and conference rooms adjacent to Portcullis House. Meetings invite witnesses from charities including Shelter (charity), Age UK, Barnardo's, ActionAid, and academic researchers from London School of Economics, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London, and King's College London. Events have featured representatives from funders such as National Lottery Community Fund and regulatory officials from the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and have interacted with policy actors at Downing Street and ministers from Department for Work and Pensions.
The group's agenda addresses taxation items like Gift Aid, public procurement rules influenced by European Union law prior to Brexit, social care funding debated alongside NHS England, and volunteering policy shaped by organisations such as Volunteering Matters. It has advocated on legislative matters affecting charities, engaged with statutory instruments debated in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and submitted evidence to inquiries run by the National Audit Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Campaign topics have included regulatory reform linked to the Charities Act 2006, transparency measures intersecting with Information Commissioner's Office, and safeguarding guidance coordinated with Chartered Institute of Fundraising.
The group produces briefing papers, inquiry reports, and evidence compilations drawing on submissions from bodies like Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Institute for Government, Shelter (charity), Carers UK, and Citizens Advice. Publications often analyse statutory impact assessments prepared for bills introduced in Parliament, cite data from the Office for National Statistics, and summarise witness testimony from directors of organisations such as RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteering Programme) and Victim Support. Reports are circulated to select committees, the Prime Minister's Office, and agencies including the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The group maintains links with umbrella bodies like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, funders including the Big Lottery Fund, local infrastructure organisations such as Locality (charity), faith networks represented by FaithAction, and international NGOs including Amnesty International and Oxfam. It facilitates stakeholder engagement with ministers from HM Treasury and civil servants in the Cabinet Office (UK), and convenes collaboration with academic partners at institutions including University of Manchester and University of Bristol.
Critics have questioned transparency and lobbying links when meetings feature paid external speakers from organisations like Porticus or consultancies with ties to private contractors such as G4S and Capita. Concerns have been raised about conflicts of interest where MPs connected to charities such as Marie Curie (charity) or Scope (charity) participate in debates involving funding decisions by Department for Work and Pensions or procurement contracts influenced by Crown Commercial Service. Debates over impartiality have prompted calls for stricter registers aligned with rules from the Committee on Standards in Public Life and guidance from the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Category:All‑Party parliamentary groups