11/12/09

By Andrew Holt

Angela Smith appeared before Parliament on Wednesday 9 December, apologising for her recent decision to divert funding from the Campaigning Research Programme and breaching the Compact. She stated that this was an "isolated breach" of Compact Principles.

NCVO subsequently met with Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, in order to raise its concerns about the way in which the decision was taken.

The Minister also met with Simon Blake, chair of Compact Voice, to discuss ways to reassert the Government's commitment to the Compact, ahead of the launch of the Refreshed Compact in mid-December.

You can read the statement from Compact Voice here: http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/information/101974/minister_promises_compact_scrutiny/

During the meeting with NCVO, the Minister confirmed that:

* The Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office is committed to finding a legislative vehicle for placing the Commission on a statutory basis and therefore increasing the status of the Compact.
* In the meantime, the Minister will seek to address the changes and improvements that can be made in the implementation of the Compact without the need for legislation. This will include the roles and remits of the Commission, the OTS and Compact Voice in the interest of greater clarity and better efficiency.
* The Minister will use the next annual review of the Compact (1 Feb 2010) to discuss clear actions for both the third sector and government in implementing the refreshed document. The Office of the Third Sector has said it would want one aspect of this to be a better and more credible report from Government on how the Compact is being implemented, and using the annual review to present such a report for greater transparency (the Office of the Third Sector will work on establishing this process in conjunction with Compact Voice and the Commission).
* The Office of the Third Sector will communicate as early as possible with stakeholders in the unlikely event that such difficult decisions that breach the Compact are required.

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: "We have found a constructive way forward and I hope the Minister will be able to move towards a legislative framework for the Commission for the Compact as soon as possible."

Read the full statement from the Office of the Third Sector: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/091211_compactstatement.aspx

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