David Norris (Independent)

This deals with agreements with charities trustees. I am not sure if my point is appropriate here; if not, perhaps the Minister or his advisers might advise me where it might come in. It is the question of payments to people collecting on the streets, for example, and payments to executives. I think that would be covered. I would like to see some percentage limit placed as a matter of course on charities. A sum not above a particular percentage should go to administration. I have great admiration for people who work for charities, but there have been situations where a disproportionate amount of collections went to pay the people doing the collection on the street. They were hired help. Is that appropriate? Will the Minister consider that? It may not be directly relevant but there was a question of payment to employees and so on. People are much more likely to give if there is a proviso to the effect that 90% of the money obtained goes directly to the front line services. I participated in a big fund-raising event for a cross-cultural Israeli-Palestinian effort about this time last year and I made a point that every euro went directly to it. Nothing came out in terms of expenses and so on. Will the Minister comment briefly on that?