Lord Rennard, chair of the Acevo Commission on the Big Society, has advised that the Liberal Democrats are looking at the idea of a required voluntary sector impact assessment to be undertaken within any future legislative proposals.

The former Liberal Democrat chief executive made the comments at the Big Society in the North event in Liverpool on Monday, advising that there is a need for the government to provide a "clearer narrative and more consistent approach" to the Big Society. 

"An idea currently being looked at by the Liberal Democrats is to require all legislative proposals to have a voluntary sector impact assessment - just as we require assessments for environmental, equality and human rights impact," he told the audience. 

The move is one of several improvements Lord Rennard suggested to aid the transition period for the sector, which  include changing the tax system to promote philanthropy, and removing "unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to volunteering" to "remove financial disincentives to volunteer".  

His speech follows the endorsement by the Liberal Democrat Federal Policy Committee on Saturday (12 March) of the Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Policy paper outlining the party's intentions for the sector.