Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 July 2026
Letter from the Charity Commission for England and Wales to Chair on publication of the Committee of Privileges report, dated 14.7.26
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Summary
Dame Julia Unwin, Chair of the Charity Commission, writes to apologise unreservedly for the Commission's legal action against the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, following a Committee of Privileges report. The Commission acknowledges its court challenge was inappropriate and damaged its relationship with Parliament, and offers full cooperation with ongoing inquiries.
Key findings
- Charity Commission legal action against PHSO prevented the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration from laying special reports before the House
- Committee of Privileges found the Charity Commission's actions to be serious breaches of parliamentary privilege
- Charity Commission Board and Executive express regret that the episode has damaged the institution's relationship with Parliament
- Commission acknowledges that while concerns were genuinely held, persisting with court challenge was inappropriate
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Dame Julia Unwin, Charity Commission for England and Wales, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Committee of Privileges, Simon Hoare, Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Notable line
“… we now recognise we should not have persisted in challenging this matter through the courts.”
Key Quotes
“I have today written to the Speaker to offer an unreserved apology on behalf of the Board of the Charity Commission for our actions which prevented the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration from laying special reports before the House.”
“While the action resulted from genuinely held concerns, we now recognise we should not have persisted in challenging this matter through the courts.”
“That this episode has damaged that relationship is a source of great regret to the entire Commission Board and Executive.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗