Volunteering Organisations to Retain PVG Waiver

That the Parliament welcomes, with relief, that the Scottish Government has abandoned proposals to remove the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme waiver for voluntary organisations, following a public consultation; understands that the PVG waiver allows qualifying voluntary groups to provide free Disclosure Scotland PVG scheme membership to volunteers; believes that the proposed changes would have had a substantial negative financial impact on voluntary organisations, particularly those working in the health and social care sector; further believes that volunteers and volunteer organisations play a vital role in Scotland, in the care, health, sports, community and children’s recreational activities sectors; acknowledges what it sees as the challenges faced by the volunteer sector in the recruitment and retention of volunteers, and wishes the best to all organisations that will benefit from the retention of the waiver for PVG charges.