Voluntary Service Overseas

HC Deb 05 June 1984 vol 61 c151W

Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much financial aid is being given to Voluntary Service Overseas; how this compares with each of the last five years; and if he will list the principal projects with the amounts given.

Mr. Raison

In 1984–85, subject to parliamentary approval, the Overseas Development Administration will make available a grant of £4,781,390 to Voluntary Service Overseas.

For the past five years the level of ODA grant support to Voluntary Service Overseas was as follows:

Financial Year	£
1979–80	1,654,930
1980–81	2,153,866
1981–82	2,598,286
1982–83	3,310,055
1983–84	4,072,148

The grant is not allocated on a project basis. In 1984–85 ODA's grant will cover about 86 per cent. of the anticipated budget costs of VSO's long-term volunteer programme. In 1983 Voluntary Service Overseas was active in more than 40 developing countries, with some 970 volunteers in the field at the end of the year.