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Development Aid: Voluntary Service Overseas

Asked by Nadia WhittomeLabourForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 20 April 2026UIN 125500

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) charity on the potential impact of recent and proposed changes in the level of Official Development Assistance funding on the effectiveness of VSO.

Answered by Chris Elmore

Our partnership with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) has been extended until March 2027. The Active Citizenship through Inclusive Volunteering and Empowerment (ACTIVE) programme currently operates in 14 countries and works with local civil society groups to strengthen their organisational capacity, leadership, autonomy and sustainability. This reflects our modernised approach to development, delivering value for money for UK taxpayers and transforming our country development partnerships to reflect the changing needs of our partners. We are looking forward to seeing how VSO's work progresses.

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