The minister for civil society has agreed to meet with a selection of youth charities to discuss ways to encourage retired men to volunteer with young men from "dadless" families.

In parliamentary questions in December the minister, Nick Hurd, was asked by Tim Loughton MP what plans he has to tap into the "vast army of recently retired people, particularly men, who are not yet ready for the cocoa and slippers".

Loughton (pictured) was the parliamentary under secretary for children and families until September last year and has done a vast amount of work through Parliament on various child related Bills. He sees potential for this demographic to positively influence young teenage boys living without fathers in their lives and called for Hurd to meet with him and a number of businesses and youth charities "to see how we can scale up some of the best practice". 

Hurd replied that he would be "delighted" to meet with the MP on the matter, adding that, "Through the innovation fund and the social action fund we are supporting a range of opportunities for retired people to share their skills and experience in their communities, including with young people."