Question
I draw the attention of the House to my role as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for volunteer rescue services. These people are out there on call—on land, sea and mountains—to help the public. The Secretary of State’s statement is very welcome. As recent events, like the wildfires, have shown, these volunteers are a key part of our emergency response and resilience. Does she agree that there should be a dedicated point of contact for volunteer rescue organisations in Government, and that Ministers ought to consider bringing forward a volunteers charter, using the template of the veterans charter, to recognise and acknowledge the contribution of volunteers, their families and their employers in our fourth emergency service?
Answer
Across the UK, volunteer search and rescue teams are an indispensable part of Britain’s emergency response system. I thank my hon. Friend for his campaigning on this issue. His APPG for volunteer rescue services turns frontline experience into practical policy change—most recently, with the exemption of search and rescue vehicles from vehicle excise duty. I will raise the group’s latest suggestions with ministerial colleagues.
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply thanks volunteer search and rescue teams and says the Government will raise the group's suggestions with ministerial colleagues, but it does not say whether the Government agrees that a dedicated point of contact should exist. It also never mentions a volunteers charter or the veterans charter model the question asked about, so the specific proposal goes unaddressed. Both parts of the question were answered only in vague, non-committal terms, so the asker would likely need to follow up for a clear position.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does the Government agree that there should be a dedicated point of contact within Government for volunteer rescue organisations? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply praises volunteer search and rescue teams and the APPG, then commits only to raising the group's suggestions with ministerial colleagues. It never states whether the Government agrees that a dedicated point of contact should exist, so the core question goes unanswered. |
| Will Ministers consider bringing forward a volunteers charter, modelled on the veterans charter, to recognise and acknowledge the contribution of volunteers, their families and their employers? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never mentions a volunteers charter or the veterans charter model. Its only related content is a general acknowledgement of volunteers' importance and a promise to raise the group's suggestions with colleagues, which is a non-committal response to a request that Ministers consider a specific proposal. |