An oral Question in the Lords on 29 February drew attention to the higher costs that small charities will face because of the impending increase in the national minimum wage.
Alistair Lexden highlighted the serious problems that independent schools will face if the Labour Party should be in a position to implement its proposed education tax.
He said: “Independent schools are not among the very smallest charities in our country but they are pretty small, with 75% of them having fewer than 500 pupils and 25% having fewer than 150. The issue that this Question raises will affect them—and will not the Labour Party’s proposal to slap 20% VAT on their fees do them grave harm, probably forcing many of these small charities educating the children of families in their local communities to close? I declare my interest as President of the Independent Schools Association, whose 650 member schools are mostly small, local charities.”
The Minister responsible for charities in the Lords replied: “My noble friend speaks with great authority as President of the Independent Schools Association. He is right to point to the valuable work that independent schools do, not just for those they educate but for the community more widely, and to the dangers of the policies advanced by the party opposite.”
