THE UK Government is to take up with the Scottish Government MPs' concerns over the "perverse" £75 fee volunteers will have to pay to work at next year's Ryder Cup golf tournament.
The issue came up during Scottish Questions in the Commons when Labour's Jim Sheridan, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said: "Having to pay to volunteer is a contradiction in terms."
He asked David Mundell, the Scotland Office Minister, to urge the organisers of the Ryder Cup to follow the lead set by Glasgow City Council and use "genuine volunteers".
His concern was echoed by Labour's Michael McCann, who represents East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow. He said Ryder Cup participants competed not for money but for the pride in representing their country or continent.
"Therefore, it does seem perverse that volunteers will be asked to pay to deliver that service," he said.
Mr Mundell promised to take up the concerns with Event Scotland. Antonia Beggs, the event's operations director, said the fee was introduced after the 2006 cup and was meant to separate the "genuine article" from time wasters.
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