§ 93. Miss Colmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the future of the W.V.S.
§ Mr. EdeThere is still much valuable work being done by this service, and there will, I think, be general agreement as to the desirability of keeping alive the spirit and efficiency of a service which has134W proved so successful in mobilising voluntary help for numerous forms of public work. Now, however, that almost all the wartime work of this service has come to an end, consideration must be given to the question of how the service can best be fitted into the general pattern of social service throughout the country, and how any financial assistance given by the Exchequer can best be used to promote those forms of voluntary work which are of special assistance to Government Departments and local authorities.
As a first step towards the exploration of this question, arrangements have been made for consultations to take place between the Women's Voluntary Services and the National Council of Social Service, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is in communication with the Women's Voluntary Services and the Council of Social Service in Scotland. Meanwhile, it is proposed that the existing arrangements for meeting from voted money the approved administrative expenses of the Women's Voluntary Services shall be continued. Whatever the future holds, the need will continue for voluntary helpers to supplement public services both on occasions of emergency and at other times.