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| Charity fundraising tactics 'a scandal', says senior MP | Charity fundraising tactics 'a scandal', says senior MP |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The fundraising tactics used by some charities have been compared to "a boiler house operation" by a senior MP. | The fundraising tactics used by some charities have been compared to "a boiler house operation" by a senior MP. |
| Bernard Jenkin said reports vulnerable people had been pressured for donations and had their details sold between charities were a "scandal". | Bernard Jenkin said reports vulnerable people had been pressured for donations and had their details sold between charities were a "scandal". |
| He spoke as the heads of four major UK charities appeared before MPs. | He spoke as the heads of four major UK charities appeared before MPs. |
| Mark Goldring, from Oxfam, said there had been "too little supervision" of agency fundraisers, but the majority of collectors operated within the rules. | Mark Goldring, from Oxfam, said there had been "too little supervision" of agency fundraisers, but the majority of collectors operated within the rules. |
| The heads of Oxfam, the NSPCC, Save the Children and the RSPCA were summoned to appear before the Commons Public Administration Committee following a series of reports of bad practice. | The heads of Oxfam, the NSPCC, Save the Children and the RSPCA were summoned to appear before the Commons Public Administration Committee following a series of reports of bad practice. |
| 'Slipshod' | 'Slipshod' |
| The methods used by fundraisers came under scrutiny earlier this year when 92-year-old poppy collector Olive Cooke killed herself after reportedly being overwhelmed by requests from charities. | The methods used by fundraisers came under scrutiny earlier this year when 92-year-old poppy collector Olive Cooke killed herself after reportedly being overwhelmed by requests from charities. |
| The Daily Mail has also claimed that vulnerable people have been repeatedly contacted for donations despite being on an official "opt-out" database, and that one pensioner, Samuel Rae, lost £35,000 after his information was sold by charities and ended up with scammers. | The Daily Mail has also claimed that vulnerable people have been repeatedly contacted for donations despite being on an official "opt-out" database, and that one pensioner, Samuel Rae, lost £35,000 after his information was sold by charities and ended up with scammers. |
| Conservative committee chairman Mr Jenkin told the charity chiefs it appeared "the temptation to raise money made you slipshod in your governance procedures or wilfully blind to what was going on". | |
| "Using commercial companies whose activities have been so shameful that charities have immediately suspended operations, severed contracts, ceased relationships, because of what has been uncovered," he said. | "Using commercial companies whose activities have been so shameful that charities have immediately suspended operations, severed contracts, ceased relationships, because of what has been uncovered," he said. |
| "Such as instructing all fundraisers that when someone says they're too poor to give at the moment that's just another excuse. Staff instructing callers to ask for money at least three times in a call in a very aggressive way... | "Such as instructing all fundraisers that when someone says they're too poor to give at the moment that's just another excuse. Staff instructing callers to ask for money at least three times in a call in a very aggressive way... |
| "It seems more like a boiler house operation than something which reflects the values of the charities you serve." | "It seems more like a boiler house operation than something which reflects the values of the charities you serve." |
| Peter Wanless, from the NSPCC, said such practices were "utterly unacceptable", and he was "pleased that the gross excesses have been exposed and action has been taken to do something about them". | Peter Wanless, from the NSPCC, said such practices were "utterly unacceptable", and he was "pleased that the gross excesses have been exposed and action has been taken to do something about them". |
| Pressed on why these tactics had been used, Mr Wanless said: "I think there has been an imbalance between the desire to raise money and the importance of valuing a relationship with a donor, either potential or actual." | Pressed on why these tactics had been used, Mr Wanless said: "I think there has been an imbalance between the desire to raise money and the importance of valuing a relationship with a donor, either potential or actual." |
| 'Not enforced' | 'Not enforced' |
| Mr Goldring said Oxfam had put "too much reliance on agencies with too little supervision". | Mr Goldring said Oxfam had put "too much reliance on agencies with too little supervision". |
| He said his charity had stopped buying and selling lists of potential donors "many years ago", and in July, stopped contacting people identified as willing to accept calls because they had failed to mark a box to opt out. | He said his charity had stopped buying and selling lists of potential donors "many years ago", and in July, stopped contacting people identified as willing to accept calls because they had failed to mark a box to opt out. |
| The Information Commissioner is investigating the claims concerning Mr Rae, while the government has said it is changing legislation to help protect vulnerable people from aggressive fundraising. | The Information Commissioner is investigating the claims concerning Mr Rae, while the government has said it is changing legislation to help protect vulnerable people from aggressive fundraising. |
| Justin Forsyth, from Save the Children, said the charity had put some measures in place to check up on agency staff, such as listening in to calls, but they were not enough. | Justin Forsyth, from Save the Children, said the charity had put some measures in place to check up on agency staff, such as listening in to calls, but they were not enough. |
| "The standards we had may have been strong, but they weren't enforced in practice." | "The standards we had may have been strong, but they weren't enforced in practice." |
| Mr Forsyth added: "It is not just wrong, what happened, but it is also counter-productive. If we treat our supporters and the public like that, they will lose confidence in us." | Mr Forsyth added: "It is not just wrong, what happened, but it is also counter-productive. If we treat our supporters and the public like that, they will lose confidence in us." |
| RSPCA vice-chairman David Canavan told the committee that only one fundraising call in 1,000 and one mailshot in 100,000 resulted in a complaint. | |
| The incoming chairman of the Fundraising Standards Board, Andrew Hind, told MPs that self-regulation was not working, and instead the sector should have an independent fundraising standards committee - with a majority of lay members - able to enforce a mandatory code of practice. |