Sex assaults and two drownings on Cameron’s overseas youth programme

 Young volunteers have suffered sexual assaults and two have drowned while taking part in an international volunteering programme launched by David Cameron.

The Government spending watchdog said a number of people had been detained by local police during their time spent overseas with the International Citizen Service (ICS).

Volunteers live and work in some of the world’s poorest communities where they may be exposed to crime, political instability, endemic diseases and natural disasters.

The programme is regarded by the Department for International Development (DFID) as “high-risk” owing to the security and safety issues involved, the National Audit Office said. Its report highlighted a number of concerns over the £173million programme, which is contracted out to Voluntary Service Overseas.

A DFID spokesman said: “The safety and well-being of ICS volunteers is our first priority and this report acknowledges the actions we have taken. There are constant reviews of ICS programmes and we will not hesitate to stop working with partners that cannot meet our security standards.”