§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will include victims support schemes in the programme of opportunities for volunteering; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyNew arrangements have been made for 1986–87 to provide central Government funds for grants to local victim support schemes. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 14 January at column545–546 that he proposed to make £136,000 available for this purpose through the national association of victims support schemes. Following last year's review, the conditions under which grants may be made in the DHSS opportunities for volunteering scheme have been amended to exclude victim support schemes as being more closely related to those of other Government Departments or public services.