Threat posed by volunteering Bill

Sir, As leaders of responsible agencies involving over one million volunteers each year, we are opposed to the Promotion of Volunteering Bill (letter, May 24). We believe it will do nothing to protect volunteer organisations from the growing threat of negligence suits. We already hold public liability and other insurance for all who participate and which would cover all the examples cited.

The Bill’s proposal that we should have to produce a “statement of inherent risk” for each activity undertaken by each volunteer would cause delays, anxieties and unnecessary bureaucracy, which would put off thousands of potentially active citizens.

What is required is proper insurance for sports and adventure training volunteers, not legislation to increase unnecessary bureaucracy.

We appeal to those who wish to promote volunteering to oppose this Bill when it enters its final stages on July 16.