News story

8th February 2001

Success in campaign for voluntary groups

Northavon MP Steve Webb has welcomed a Government climbdown over charges for criminal record checks for volunteers working with young people. The MP had written to ministers and signed a Commons motion protesting at Government plans to charge voluntary organisations such as Guides and Scouts groups a fee of at least £10 to check the criminal records of volunteers working with young people. The MP had been contacted by dozens of local Guides, Scouts, Brownies and Cubs groups who felt that these charges would make it even harder for them to find volunteer leaders. He also recently attended a reception at Westminster organised by the Guides Association and attended by guide leaders from Winterbourne and Almondsbury to discuss the issue. Now Education Secretary David Blunkett has told a conference of voluntary organisations that the charges will be met by the Government.

Steve Webb said:

“I am delighted that the campaigning by a wide range of voluntary organisations, including local Scouts and Guides groups, has paid off. It can be difficult enough to find volunteers in any case, and levying an extra charge was totally unnecessary. I am pleased to have been able to play a small part in ensuring that the Government has listened to reason and changed its mind.

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