A fierce constitutional clash is unfolding in Westminster after the Charity Commission defiantly blocked a powerful parliamentary committee from scrutinising its handling of child sexual abuse allegations.
The regulator, tasked with overseeing charities in England and Wales, has been accused of a shocking lack of cooperation with the Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC). MPs were preparing to launch a full probe into the Commission's failures after a damning National Audit Office (NAO) report highlighted significant weaknesses.
Stonewalling Parliament
In an unprecedented move, the Commission refused to attend a crucial evidence session with the PAC. This brazen act has been condemned as a direct obstruction of parliamentary scrutiny and a failure of public accountability.
Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the PAC, expressed her profound frustration, stating the Commission's refusal leaves major questions unanswered. The NAO report had already exposed a deeply troubling backlog of serious incident reports, including those related to safeguarding and abuse.
A Backlog of Allegations
The heart of the scandal lies in the Commission's alleged incompetence. The NAO found that the regulator's caseload of serious incidents had skyrocketed, with many cases languishing for years without proper investigation. This failure potentially left vulnerable children and adults at risk within the charitable sector.
Despite the gravity of the findings, the Charity Commission's leadership has chosen to hide from MPs rather than explain its actions and outline a concrete plan for improvement.
Demands for Transparency
The standoff raises serious questions about who holds public bodies to account. MPs are now demanding full transparency and are considering their next steps to compel the Commission to cooperate. This incident is seen as a test case for the power of select committees to hold regulators accountable for their failings.
The public and the charity sector are left waiting for answers, as the very body meant to ensure integrity and safety in charities stands accused of failing in its most fundamental duties.
