The next Parliament will see opportunities for charities to play a bigger role in delivering public services, representatives of the three main political parties said yesterday, but they disagreed about how this should come about.

At a pre-election debate arranged by Acevo and the Charities Aid Foundation, Rob Wilson, minister for civil society, said that alongside its long term economic plan the Conservative Party had a “long-term social plan”.

“Our promise is that no matter the concern we will always take the time to listen to the sector,” he said.

He assured delegates that the government had learnt the lessons from the Work Programme. In the future he said would push for “more contained” programmes, making it easier for charities to bid for contracts.

Rejecting the idea of ring-fencing contracts for charities and social enterprises, he said: “We believe in the voluntary sector’s ability to deliver public services.”

Lisa Nandy, Labour shadow minister for civil society said that her party’s aim was to “free up charities to do more” and restore the Compact agreement between the sector and government.

She also reiterated her party’s commitment to ring-fencing contracts for the voluntary sector, saying that Labour wanted to build “long-term relationships”.

She said: “The last few years have been really tough for the charity sector and the people who rely on them. The sector has shown remarkable spirt despite the government.”

The Liberal Democrat representative, Tom Brake MP, the deputy leader of the House of Commons, said that charities should be open to the devolution agenda, pointing to recent changes in Manchester around commissioning health and social care opening up opportunities.

He said that: “Very often the most important player is the local authority. The relationship that they have with the charity sector is maybe something that needs to be looked at.”

Brake said he thought that all organisations carrying out public sector contracts should be subject of Freedom of Information rules.

Charity campaigning

The coalition parties were united in their support for the Lobbying Act and the opinion that it should not impact on charity campaigning.

Wilson insisted that “there is clear guidance” and that the important thing is that charities do not cross “the line between political campaigning and party political campaigning”.

Brake added that: “In the last couple of months I have been contacted huge number of charities encouraging me to come and participate in their political campaigns.”

On the suggestion that the Act had a ‘chilling effect’, he said: “The evidence I have is that charities are quite rightly still campaigning.”

The Labour Party is committed to repealing the Act and Nandy said the problem is that the line between party political and political “is not clear”.

Bill Rigby, the representative for the Green Party, added that: “The Act has created anxieties. Everyone is looking over their shoulders all the time.”

Local Sustainability Fund

When asked about the Local Sustainability Fund, a £40m fund to support service-delivery charities, which had been announced last year but was conspicuous by its absence from last week’s budget, Wilson said: “We have made good progress.”

The answer was similar to one he gave Nandy in Parliament earlier in the day, and she said his answer was “less than illuminating”.

“I know Nick Hurd [previous minister for civil society] fought very hard for it. I am puzzled about where it has gone; it would be great if you can find it.”

Volunteering

The three main parties are also in agreement on importance of the role volunteers can play in society, for the example of charities supporting under-pressure accident and emergency departments earlier this year.

However the UK Independence Party representative, Nathan Gill MEP, said: “I don’t think the government should direct people into volunteering.” Rigby said that the Greens would prefer the NHS to properly resourced.

Future of the Charity Commission

On the subject of the Charity Commission, Wilson said that he supported the change programme under William Shawcross and Paula Sussex.

He added that it is an entirely “independent” body. And said: “I don’t see any danger of it becoming a political organisation.”

Nandy said that it was a “mistake for the Charity Commission to get drawn into speaking on behalf of the sector”.

Brake agreed and said that: “There are other organisations, such as Acevo and NCVO who should do that.”

Shawcross reappointment

Nandy also attacked the government over the reappointment of William Shawcross as chair of the Commission, without consulting with the sector.

“I don’t think it was helpful that the chair was reappointed in a rush, without any consideration of the views and concerns of the sector,” she said.