§ 25. Mr. BrandrethTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the progress of the make-a-difference initiative; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThis initiative to promote voluntary activity has made excellent progress: grants have been made to 27 local partnerships; Government Departments have prepared action plans for involving volunteers; and last week we launched a national telephone helpline to make it easier for people to find volunteering opportunities in their area. The make-a-difference team, with members from business, voluntary and public sectors, is aiming to publish a strategy on the future of volunteering in June.