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

What steps his Department is taking to help the voluntary sector co-ordinate its response to the covid-19 outbreak.

The voluntary sector plays a vital role in the response to Coronavirus, with millions of people stepping up to help. My Department is supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership, which is coordinating the voluntary sector response to the crisis.

The Partnership is co-chaired by the British Red Cross and National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), and brings together key organisations across the voluntary sector. It is helping to identify needs, match the country’s strong base of volunteers with demands, and coordinate voluntary sector activity nationally and locally.