A Bill to place the Commission for the Compact on a statutory basis; to confer powers on the Commission; and for connected purposes.
The Compact, established in 1998, is a partnership agreement between the voluntary and community sector and Government which sets out the basic principles underpinning the relationship between both parties. It is not legally binding. In April 2007 the Commission for the Compact was established to oversee the operation of the Compact and the accompanying codes of practice. Its work includes promoting awareness and implementation of the Compact, undertaking research and policy projects, and exploring key themes that affect the relationship between the statutory and voluntary sectors. It is not a regulatory body and does not have any legal powers.The Bill would place the Commission for the Compact on a statutory basis. It would also give the Commission new powers of investigation where there have been breaches of Compact agreements, access to relevant information, and the ability to impose a duty on others to co-operate with its investigations.
House of Commons
20 October 2009
This bill would place the Commission for the Compact on a statutory basis and give it new enforcement powers, including investigating breaches and compelling information. It would require others to cooperate with investigations. The Compact is a voluntary agreement between Government and the voluntary and community sector and is not legally binding.
The bill is currently at the second reading in the House of Commons; if it progresses, it would move to committee stages and further readings.
Generated 21 February 2026
This Bill was on the Order Paper for a Second Reading on several Fridays before being dropped by its sponsor, Tom Levitt.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
