BOGUS CHARITY CLOTHING COLLECTION COMPANIES

That this House condemns the practice of companies like Helpmates Ltd, who pose as registered charities in order to collect clothing donations from the public via doorstep collections; notes that the literature from these companies claim the donations are `urgently needed' for the developing world, but that as profit-making companies they are likely to sell the donated clothes for financial gain; calls on the Office of Fair Trading and the Charity Commission to establish a joint review to ensure that members of the public are not confused or deceived into donating to companies they believe are charities; and urges the public to continue donating clothes to recognised charities and check that organisations soliciting for donations have a registered charity number.