A Parliamentary committee investigating fundraising has said it has “no plans” to invite any working fundraisers to give evidence as part of its inquiry.

A spokesman for the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs select committee told Civil Society News this morning that the committee did not currently intend to ask anyone from the fundraising profession to give evidence in the future – either from charities or fundraising agencies.

So far 16 people have been called to give evidence in front of the committee as part of its inquiry into charitable fundraising. Representatives from the charity sector have included the chairs and chief executives of the RSPCA, the NSPCC and Oxfam, as well as the chief executive of Save the Children. The IoF, FRSB and PFRA have also given evidence.

Christopher Graham, the Information Commissioner, Steve Eckersley, head of enforcement at the ICO and Katherine Faulkner, investigations editor at the Daily Mail, have also given evidence.

Ian MacQuillin (pictured), director of fundraising think tank Rogare, criticised the decision not to invite anyone from the profession.

“It is disappointing that a Parliamentary inquiry seeking to assess what changes are needed in fundraising is not going to speak to any members of the fundraising profession,” he said. “But at the same time it’s utterly unsurprising.

“What conclusion can you draw from this except that the committee just doesn't consider the views of fundraisers worthy of consideration - that they are either too self-serving, or too simplistic, or just that they will be a bit rubbish? Why the fundraising profession garners so little respect and is considered to be a 'necessary evil' that should be seen and not heard is not a simple question.

“Is it because people really don't understand what fundraising is all about and feel sufficiently qualified to make their own judgements without consulting fundraising professionals? Or is it because the fundraising profession has done a spectacularly bad job at standing up for itself and what it believes in so no-one thinks they have anything worthwhile to say?”