Working with other agencies

Effective and credible joined-up working with other regulators, law enforcement and other government agencies is essential for detecting, deterring and preventing abuse from taking place in charities, and rectifying problems when they arise. We continue to strengthen our strategic and operational relationships with an increasing number of agencies by putting in place formal protocols, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), or operational arrangements.

The Charities Act 1993 (section 10) allows the exchange of information by the Commission to other regulators or government agencies, and vice versa, where this will further the statutory purposes of the Commission or the other regulator or agency. As a public authority and data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998, the Commission must comply with the proper and safe collection, handling and use of personal data. This is something we are required under law to do but which in any event we take extremely seriously.

The increasing effectiveness of the Commission’s relationship with other agencies, and of its information sharing in relation to individual cases of concern, is demonstrated by the increase in the number of information exchanges in each direction. The number of exchanges received by the Commission in 2008-09 was 111 (89 in the previous year), and the number of exchanges provided to other bodies was 641 (417 in the previous year).