(386) CHARITIES BILL CONSULTATION
A proposed regulatory framework designed to ensure public confidence in Scottish charities was set out in a draft Bill and a public consultation paper published on 2 June 2004. The draft Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill updates and strengthens charity law and sets out a number of new measures that include (1) the creation of a new Scottish definition of charity based on the principle of public benefit which is compatible with the definition adopted by the UK Government; (2) an enhanced range of powers for the recently established Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) which will gain responsibility for granting charitable status and maintaining a statutory register of all charities operating in Scotland; and (3) provisions designed to ensure better regulation of fundraising activities.