HC Deb 13 May 2003 vol 405 cc214-5W
Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations have been issued to community foundations on better working with independent grant making trusts; and who he consulted when drafting them. [111693]

Beverley Hughes

I can confirm that there have been no recommendations issued to community foundations on better working with independent grant making trusts. Community Foundations operate as independent organisations and, as such, it is not for government to issue guidance on how they should operate.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice has been issued and what is being done(a) centrally and (b) regionally as part of the Home Office's work in supporting grass roots organisations to (i) develop coherence and a distinctive identity for specific grant making programmes, (ii) foster productive networking, learning and knowledge transfer among partner organisations and (iii) support the dual role of community-based organisations as local service providers and independent voices, with a wide advocacy role. [111694]

Beverley Hughes

The Compact on Relations between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in England, published in November 1998, provides a framework of principles and undertakings, which should underpin the relationship between the Government and voluntary and community in England. The Compact is supported by four Codes of Good Practice covering: funding; consultation and policy appraisal; black and minority ethnic and community organisations; and volunteering. The Compact Code of Good Practice on Funding makes a number of recommendations that are designed to ensure coherence and clarity in Government funding programmes.

Fostering productive networking, learning and knowledge transfer among partner organisations is achieved in a variety of ways both nationally and regionally. The main mechanism is through the 18 regional voluntary sector networks consisting of a general and a black and minority ethnic network in each of the nine regions, which are funded by the Active Community Unit. The Regional Voluntary Sector Networks exist to increase the effectiveness of the VCS in each region, to unlock further funding at the regional level and to advocate effectively at the regional level. The networks, through their links to sub-regional and local networks, link grassroots organisations to key regional developments and network and learning opportunities.

In September 2002, the Treasury published "The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service Delivery: a cross cutting review". The Cross Cutting Review reaffirms the Government's commitment to ensuring that when the sector wishes to engage in service delivery there are no unnecessary barriers from both central and local Government. The Cross Cutting Review contains recommendations concerned with strengthening the sector, simplifying bureaucracy and getting the funding relationship between government and the sector right. It also recognises that if the expertise of the voluntary and community sector is to be used in the delivery of public services it is vital that the sector's right to independence is protected, separate to any funding relationship with Government that might exist.