'Abolition of volunteer fees - at last' - Davey Local Liberal Democrat MP, Edward Davey, has welcomed the recent decision by the Education Secretary to back his campaign not to charge voluntary organisations for criminal checks on volunteers. The Criminal Records Bureau will come into operation in July 2001 and one of its functions will be to run criminal checks on people wishing to work in the voluntary sector. After receiving concerns from local Scouts and Girl Guide groups, Edward Davey tabled written parliamentary questions and wrote to the Home Secretary highlighting the burden that these charges would impose on local voluntary organisations. It was estimated by some organisations that the cost could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds and put off many people from getting involved in their local communities. Commenting on his campaign success, Edward Davey said, "Organisations such as the St. John Ambulance, Mencap, the Scouts and Guides were facing having to pay between £10 and £20 to have a criminal records check run on every person volunteering to help them." "This would seriously have damaged the local voluntary sector and that is why I supported their concerns by raising them in Parliament. Our campaign was helped by the decision of the Scottish Parliament, led by the Liberal Democrat Scottish Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace MP&MSP, to drop the charge." "Although I support the need for these checks it is only right that the cost should be met by the Government. Therefore, I am delighted that the Education Secretary has seen sense and joined me in supporting free checks for local volunteers." |
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