§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will mark next year's International Year of Volunteers by spending a day working as a volunteer. [137438]
§ Mr. ByersI refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 13 November 2000,Official Report, column 531W.
I fully support the aims of the International Year of Volunteers. Everyone benefits from volunteering and the Prime Minister has issued a challenge to employers to give their employees paid time off to work in the community.
My Department fully intends to take up the Prime Minister's challenge. An article to be published in the staff newspaper early in the new year will announce that all staff have the right to take one day's paid special leave per year to take part in voluntary activities in their community. This is in addition to the provisions that already exist to allow staff paid time off for voluntary activities.
I personally intend to spend a day, working as a volunteer in my own constituency, during 2001.