HC Deb 14 June 1999 vol 333 cc13-4
12. Mrs. Joan Humble (Blackpool, North and Fleetwood)

What representations he has received on the role of the voluntary sector in tackling social exclusion. [85576]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)

The voluntary and community sector has a key role to play in tackling social exclusion. The Government recognise that many voluntary and community organisations have particular skills and knowledge across a range of subject areas and service provision. That is why the Government have entered into a new spirit of partnership with the sector, and why the policy action teams established to take forward the work on social exclusion use and rely heavily on the contributions of representatives from a range of voluntary organisations.

Mrs. Humble

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. May I encourage him to invite as wide a variety of voluntary organisations as possible to participate in the debate? For example, only a couple of weeks ago I attended a meeting of the Blackpool Women's Aid organisation. It is keen that the work that it undertakes to combat domestic violence is seen as part of the strategy to combat social exclusion.

Mr. Boateng

Domestic violence is a real threat in terms of law and order—we should never forget that it is a crime—and because it has an appalling impact on the immediate victims, namely women. It is usually women who are the subject of domestic violence, along with their children. By all the indices of deprivation—for example, failure at school and mental health problems—domestic violence plays its part, and is seen to do so. Women's Aid and other voluntary organisations have, and will continue to have, a key role in the development of our strategy to combat domestic violence.

Mr. Ian Bruce (South Dorset)

Has the hon. Gentleman examined what has happened with regard to the minimum wage legislation as it applies to voluntary organisations? Many voluntary organisations have people who are paid a small amount to help them with their general expenses. As a result, people have been able to volunteer to help at a women's refuge, a playgroup or whatever. Are these organisations being affected by the fact that people are not able to carry on helping them because they have to be paid the full minimum wage, despite the fact that they are happy to volunteer to work for a couple of pounds an hour?

Mr. Boateng

On the contrary, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations supported the introduction of the minimum wage. There is no way that effective voluntaryism can ever be based on poverty wages.