§ Mr. HagueTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance and advice his Department provides to charities having difficulty obtaining public liability insurance after 11 September 2001. [72015]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 24 July 2002]: I am aware of the problems being experienced by charities, especially those in the voluntary and community sector, as a result of the volatility in the insurance market since 11 September 2001. It is deeply worrying that small groups of volunteers who are making a real contribution to their communities are being faced with such difficulty.
The Active Community Unit in the Home Office is advising charities in the voluntary and community sector to contact, in the first instance, two organisations who have been successful in negotiating public liability insurance for their membership. Additionally, the Active Community Unit is holding discussions with interested parties from the voluntary and community sector, other interested government departments, the Charity Finance Directors' Group and the insurance industry, to see what more can be done. An exploratory meeting to focus on this issue took place on Wednesday 24 July.