Voluntary Services Unit

HC Deb 09 February 1977 vol 925 cc682-3W

Mrs. Bain

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in developing the rôle of the Voluntary Service Unit in Scotland, with a view to allowing direct expenditure by this organisation or voluntary organisations in Scotland.

Mr. John

The Voluntary Services Unit can make grants direct to organisations in Scotland if they satisfy the same criteria as other VSU-funded bodies—that is, that their work spans the interests of several Government Departments or does not fall within the responsibility of any one Department.

Mr. Buchanan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount of money allocated to the Voluntary Services Unit; and what is the sum being allocated to Scotland in this financial year.

Mr. John

The sum made available to the VSU for general grants in 1976–77 as £2,159,000. None of this is specifically allocated to Scotland, or to any other part of the United Kingdom, but most of the major organisations funded by the VSU carry out some work in Scotland.