Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the level of support available to volunteers in the event of a workplace dispute.

Volunteering is critical to a vibrant and resilient civil society; it benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on beneficiaries and their communities.

This Government is committed to enabling people to take part in all forms of social action, including volunteering. We know the profound benefit that volunteering has on the individual, on communities and on society.

Volunteers do not have a contract of employment as a volunteer, so do not have the same rights as an employee or worker. However, they will usually be given a volunteer agreement that explains:

• the level of supervision and support they will get

• what training they will get

• whether they are covered under the organisation’s employer or public liability insurance

• health and safety issues

• any expenses the organisation will cover.

The volunteer agreement is not a contract, but it is a good way of setting out what volunteers can expect from the organisation they are volunteering for. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) also has information on volunteers’ legal status and guidance on solving volunteer problems.