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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK ceasing its participation in the European Solidarity Corps programme on UK charities which benefit from participation in that scheme; and what plans his Department has to support those charities.

The UK government set out its approach to negotiations with the European Union in February 2020. This stated that the UK government was open to considering participation in some EU programmes where it is in the UK and the EU’s interests that we do so. The decision was taken not to seek participation in the next European Solidarity Corps (2021-27) programme.

The UK continues to participate fully in the 2018-2020 European Solidarity Corps programme. This means that projects that successfully bid for funding during the 2018-2020 programme will continue to receive EU funding for the full duration of the project, including where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.

Looking to the future, international opportunities for young people outside of formal education settings, such as the types of activities funded under the European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ (Youth) programmes, are being considered as part of the DCMS-led Youth Review. Future funding is subject to decisions at the next Spending Review.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government made available an unprecedented £750 million package of support, specifically to charities, social enterprises and the voluntary sector to ensure that charities and other civil society organisations, including those at risk of financial hardship, were able to continue their vital work.