INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS DAY

Early day motion 175, tabled 2 December 2003 by David Drew (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 75 members.

That this House welcomes and supports plans to celebrate International Volunteers Day on 5th December; welcomes this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the fact that some 22 million volunteers in the United Kingdom make a significant contribution to active citizenship, democratic participation and community well-being, as well as to volunteering overseas; endorses and supports the links between Parliament and the voluntary sector; congratulates the National Centre for Volunteering, Volunteer Development England, the Volunteer Development Agency (Northern Ireland), Volunteer Development Scotland and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action on their commitment to build on the momentum of the UN International Year of Volunteers 2001, noting their participation as members of the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) in events to mark IVD in the European Parliament; and urges the Government to work with these organisations to make volunteering accessible to the diversity of people in our communities, as well as to comply with the UN resolutions on governments' support for volunteering.

Signatures by party: Labour 40, Liberal Democrat 14, Labour/Co-operative 7, DUP 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Conservative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, UUP 2, Independent Ulster Unionist 1, Scottish National Party 1.