Question to the Attorney General:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they estimate that the Attorney General will give his definitive ruling on the points of law arising from the case of the Royal Albert Hall and the Charity Commission.

Last year the Charity Commission wrote to the Attorney General requesting his consent to refer five questions to the First-Tier Tribunal concerning the Corporation of the Hall of Arts and Sciences – i.e. the Royal Albert Hall, which is a registered charity. While the Charity Commission has the power to refer questions to the Tribunal, it may only do so with the consent of the Attorney General, as set out in section 325 of the Charities Act 2011.

This is a complex case involving the application of modern day charity law to an organisation established over 150 years ago. Before making an assessment as to whether consent should be given to the Commission’s request, both the Corporation and the Commission were invited to make further representations to the Attorney General’s Office. It is important that these are considered carefully, taking into account all relevant factors. While it is not possible to provide an exact estimate as to when a decision will be made, the matter is being given careful thought with a view to reaching a decision as soon as possible.