asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking changes to the taxation treatment of charities.

Charities have enthusiastically acknowledged the very substantial measures on the tax treatment of charitable giving and other aspects of charitable work introduced by the present Government.

Is my hon. Friend aware that charities have been and are conducting political campaigns? Oxfam has been conducting one, and War on Want is in the process of doing another. Indeed, the director of Oxfam has conducted a campaign in The Times today. Does my hon. Friend agree that for four charities to conduct these campaigns is a fraud on those who subscribe to them and endangers the taxation advantages that the charities enjoy?

Like my hon. Friend, I agree that the abuse of charitable funds in the way that he has described is deeply to be deplored and that that is not the basis on which tax relief is given. I shall draw my hon. Friend's remarks to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, because the Charity Commission has responsibilities for seeing that charities do not abuse the funds that are entrusted to them.

But is it not true that public schools enjoy charitable status, and have they not been turning out apparatchiks and Lobby fodder for the Conservative Benches for a century? What does the Minister intend to do about that?

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman does not regard education as a suitable matter for charitable support.