Young Scot Enterprise paid £1million to IT company

[Mark Howarth, Scottish Daily Mail]

"A publicly funded charity has paid more than £1million to a company linked to one of its directors."

"Young Scot Enterprise (YSE) is at the forefront of promoting Scottish Government youth policy and is heavily reliant on taxpayers` cash."

"But the Scottish Daily Mail can reveal that for the past ten years it has been handing money to Edinburgh-based IT company Storm ID."

"Since 2007, the charity has paid the firm £1,142,370 for `website and media services`."

"Businessman Simon Wall is on the boards of the charity and firm - and owns a third of the shares in Storm ID..."

"YSE is `the national youth information and citizenship charity` aiming to offer those aged 11 to 26 `information, ideas and incentives to help them become confident, informed and active citizens`..."

"Eben Wilson, director of economic policy think-tank the centre for Democratic Prosperity said: `Where charities are funded by the taxpayer, we need a review of the rules on how contracts are tendered, awarded and paid for, and weaknesses addressed`."

"`Within the third sector, there is also a problem with sock-puppetry, where charities end up being paid by government to, in effect, echo their master`s voice`..."