Charities minister Phil Hope has confirmed that the Charity Commission will receive extra government funding to regulate the licensing of public charitable collections, though he wouldn't say how much.

Crime Concern and Rainer are to merge into a single charity on 1 July that will help to support 34,000 young people in 150 communities across the UK.

Voluntary groups are being asked to co-operate with a survey to find out whether public services are being delivered in line with the Human Rights Act.

Proposals on future funding for London's voluntary sector have sparked a war of words between mayoral candidates Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson.