HC Deb 05 March 2002 vol 381 c255W
Bob Russell

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many members of his staff in each of the past two years have been granted a day's paid leave to work as a volunteer; and if he will make a statement. [39731]

Mr. Leslie

A survey of Cabinet Office staff in 2001 indicated that at least 4.7 per cent. of staff undertook a wide range of voluntary activities. Records of special paid leave are not held centrally, however, and it is therefore not possible to say how many applications for special paid leave were specifically for volunteering.

Cabinet Office has always supported the civil service tradition of allowing both paid and unpaid leave for voluntary public duties, and the Department's provisions allow staff the opportunity to do voluntary work of any kind on at least one day a year without loss of pay.

Fair Date (2001) Student visitors
University of Central Lancashire Graduate Fair 6 June 800
Gradunet Virtual Fair 14 June 200
University of Newcastle Careers Fair 18 June 1,400
University of Manchester and UMIST Graduate Fair 21 June 3,000
University of Birmingham Graduate Fair 22 and 23 June 8,362
University of London Careers Service Recruitment Fair 27 and 28 June 11,527
Diversity UK—Ethnic Minority Fair, London 31 July and 1 August 1,500
Manchester Diversity Fair 17 October 1,500
Sheffield Universities Recruitment Fairs 24 October 4,500
University of St. Andrews Graduate Fair, Fife 24 October 850
University of Aberdeen Recruitment Fair 1 November 800
University of Teesside's Careers Fair 2 November 950
ACFF Diversity Fair, London 13 November 2,200
University of Dundee Graduate Fair 14 November 900
Napier University Recruitment Fair, Edinburgh 14 November 830
University of Birmingham Graduate Fair 6 and 7 November 5,157
University of Manchester and UMIST Graduate Fair 13 and 14 November 2,729
University of London Careers Service Recruitment Fair 5 and 6 December 7,000