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Written question asked by Lord Judd (Labour) on Thursday, 11 March 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 25 March 2021. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Thursday, 25 March 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.


Voluntary Service Overseas

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) (1) to continue its overseas development work, and (2) to offer voluntary opportunities; and what assessment they have made of the contribution of the experience gained by returning VSO volunteers to wider society in the UK.

Answer

The impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce our aid budget. We are now working through the implications of these changes for individual programmes, including for the Volunteering for Development grant. No decisions have yet been made. We understand the need to communicate with VSO in a timely manner regarding this grant.

The UK Government is proud of the outstanding contribution of returned volunteers to their home communities in the UK, particularly during the UK's Covid-19 pandemic response.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL14146
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Voluntary Service Overseas
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk