Written question asked by Earl of Dundee (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour) on Thursday, 8 April 2010.

Unemployment

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce unemployment through full-time volunteering schemes such as those deployed by ProjectScotland.

Answer: People receiving jobseeker's allowance can take part in unlimited volunteering, provided they still meet the requirements for receiving jobseeker's allowance. In addition to this, Project Scotland and Jobcentre Plus work together to help jobseekers access volunteering opportunities that would enable them to gain valuable work experience and skills. As part of the Government's support for the unemployed, we introduced the six-month offer, which includes volunteering opportunities to jobseekers who find themselves out of work for six months or more. The lead broker in Scotland for the volunteering option of the six-month offer is Volunteer Development Scotland.

Secondary information