The Liberal Democrats have promised to simplify criminal records checks, increase gift aid by 1 per cent and allow banks to let people operate charitable giving accounts alongside their current accounts, in their manifesto released today.

The 103-page manifesto says the voluntary sector has a key role to play in its vision of handing back power to local communities, but then dedicates just half a page to the voluntary sector.

They pledge to reform the process of criminal record checking so that volunteers need only one record that is portable, rather than multiple checks for each activity. 

They also promise to reform gift aid to operate at a single rate of 23 per cent – a move they say will give more money to charity while closing down a loophole for higher-rate taxpayers. It doesn’t make clear if they will extend the gift aid concession which is due to end next year. Gift aid currently operates at 22 per cent.

Finally, the LibDems promise to introduce ‘easy giving accounts’ for publicly-owned banks to allow people to operate charitable giving accounts alongside their current accounts.

The Liberal Democrats also mirror Labour and the Tories’ pledges to create a culture of youth volunteering, by vowing to create a statutory ‘Youth Service’, which will encourage local authorities to provide youth services in partnership with young people and the voluntary sector.

On the National Lottery, the LibDems will change the way the National Lottery is taxed from a ticket tax to a gross profits tax, which they claim will deliver more for good causes and the Exchequer.

Money from dormant accounts, which Labour and Tory want to use to create a social bank, will be put into a capital fund for improving local sports facilities and supporting sports clubs by the Liberal Democrats. 

The party also promises to pass a new Mutuals, Co-operatives and Social Enterprises Bill to bring the law up to date and give responsibility for mutuals to a specific minister.