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Investments

5e.6.1.1 Powers of investment 
The Scout Association’s own particular powers of investment are specified by its Royal Charter and apply only to The Scout Association itself and not to Groups, Districts and Counties. Unless therefore the powers of investment are specified in the formal Trust Instrument creating or governing any given Group, District or County, such powers of investment are governed by the relevant legislation: 

  1. In England and Wales – the Trustee Act 2000 
  2. In Northern Ireland – the Trustee Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 
  3. In Scotland – the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023 

5e.6.1.2 Investments are held in trust 
Investments held on behalf of Groups, Districts or Counties must be registered in such a way as to show they are held on trust for that body and they are not the private property of the individuals, if any, appointed as trustees in relation to that investment. 

5e.6.1.3 Use of special investment funds 
Groups, Districts or Counties are advised to make full use of special funds which are established for investment by charities and which pay dividend income gross. In the (currently unlikely) event that any tax is deducted at source the tax should be reclaimed from HMRC by the relevant Treasurer.   

Note that this will not apply in the case of those units operating in Scotland which have chosen not to register with OSCR who will, subject to the de minimis rules, be liable to corporation tax on such income.