HC Deb 10 January 2001 vol 360 cc574-5W
Mr. Hope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on resources to help more people to volunteer or become involved in their communities. [144928]

Mr. Boateng

My noble Friend the Lord Falconer of Thoroton and I are announcing tomorrow our plans to deliver the investment and outcomes proposed by the Active Community Cross Cutting Review.

The Active Community Settlement, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2000, includes £60 million over three years to support new volunteering opportunities in the public sector.

Departments were invited to match the funds available. As a result, funding over the next three years on new public sector volunteering opportunities will amount to at least £120 million. Details of a range of projects are being placed in the Library on Thursday 11 January 2001.

Many of the projects are specifically targeted at enabling those aged 50 and over to get actively involved in their communities as part of a National Experience corps. We hope to capture the wealth of experience this age group has to offer the community.

My noble Friend Baroness Greengross of Notting Hill has agreed to act as Chairman for a new Advisory Group charged with developing a blueprint for a National Experience Corps, which we intend to launch in April this year. Membership of the Advisory Group and its remit will also be placed in the Library.

The Active Community Settlement includes £35 million revenue and £25 million capital over the three years from April 2001 to modernise the infrastructure of voluntary and community organisations, to improve publicity and marketing for volunteering and to develop the national structure and standards governing mentoring.

Community involvement will also be enhanced as a result of new investment in community groups and through the local network of Children's Funds—announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of SR2000. The overall package represents a significant new investment in volunteering and community involvement—£120 million for public sector volunteering opportunities, £60 million towards mentoring, marketing and capacity building, £50 million for community groups in deprived areas and the £70 million which has already been announced for Children's Funds.