§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will mark next year's International Year of Volunteers by spending a day working as a volunteer. [137428]
610W
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 13 November 2000): I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 531W.
We fully support the aims of the International Year of Volunteers. The Prime Minister has issued a challenge to employers to give their employees paid time off to work in the community. The FCO has implemented policies to encourage this and now approves one day's paid leave a year for employees to undertake voluntary work. The voluntary spirit is very much alive in the FCO and helps animate much of our work. The Foreign Secretary intends to participate during 2001.