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Compact on Relations between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector

I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of the report of the annual meeting to review the Compact held on 30 November 2005. The meeting marked real progress on the Compact, which sets out the rules for engagement between Government and the sector, and affirmed the Compact as being at the heart of the relationship. The meeting also marked a point of significant change, with work to begin on Compact Plus, to strengthen the Compact, and the appointment of an independent Compact Commissioner. The Commissioner will oversee how the Compact, including Compact Plus, operates and guide public and voluntary and community sector bodies in their dealings with each other. This will be a challenging year, and we are determined to drive forward the work underway to build stronger relationships between the public and voluntary and community sectors. We plan to give greater weight to the Compact, so it can achieve far more for the benefit of everyone involved and result in real community gain.