HC Deb 30 July 1963 vol 682 cc210-1
7. Mr. Worsley

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what steps he intends to take among school leavers and university graduates to bring to their attention the opportunities for voluntary work in under-developed countries.

Mr. R. Carr

The voluntary societies which recruit volunteers for service overseas arrange their own publicity. My Department has assisted them in the past and will be ready to do so in the future. I also hope to speak to students on the subject at various universities.

Mr. Worsley

Would my right hon. Friend agree that we are only beginning to touch the fringe of the problem and that there are enormous opportunities which have not yet been understood by young people in this country? Will he get in touch with such organisations as employment bureaux and the youth employment service as a matter of practice and work through them?

Mr. Carr

I certainly realise the very great scope for development in this service. We are stepping up the programme of volunteers overseas from about 36 to 500over a period of only three years. A further expansion of the programme, as my hon. Friend knows, has been announced for next year. More expansion still will raise problems of finance and may also lead to some alteration in the existing organisations. But I hope that these problems will be solved and that the programme will continue to expand.

Mr. Elwyn Jones

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the real problem is not so much the shortage of volunteers, of which there is an abundant number, but a lack of finance and facilities to enable young people to go to serve in under-developed countries? Is he aware that this summer the International Voluntary Service, for instance, has had to turn away hundreds of young people from this country who were eager to play their part in under-developed countries?

Mr. Carr

The Government are providing at the moment about 50 per cent. of the finance for graduate volunteers and about one-third of the finance for school leavers. I think that until we have had further discussions a bigger contribution from the Government would be as unwelcome to some of the voluntary societies as it might be to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.