HC Deb 02 March 1992 vol 205 cc4-6W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions he intends to place on future know-how and other funds offered to the states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

Mrs Chalker

[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The Government have designated the following four sectors as priorities for the delivery of technical assistance to the Baltic states: food processing and distribution, financial services, small business creation, and energy. This does not prevent us from responding to specific requests made by the Baltic authorities in other areas.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the British economic assistance that has been extended to the three Baltic states since independence.

Mrs Chalker

[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The following projects for technical assistance to the Baltic states under the know-how fund have now been approved:

KNOW-How FUND: ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA

COUNTRY PROGRAMME PROJECTS

As at 28 February 1992

SMALL BUSINESS CREATION

Mitaline Technology (Estonia) Preparation of training programme for use by Estonian Small Business Association. Approved at a cost to KHF of £4,820.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Ports Privatisation Conference Director of Estonian Maritime Board enabled to attend Privatisation Conference. Approved at cost to KHF of £900.

Transcend Technology (Lithuania) To provide assistance to the Association of Light Industry Enterprises of Lithuania to prepare individual state enterprises for privatisation. Approved at a cost to KHF of £9,800.

Lithuanian Association of Accountants Study Visit by representative of the Association to United Kingdom to examine accountancy practices. Approved at a cost to KHF of £8,000.

POLITICAL AND CULTURAL

Restructuring Ministries of Foreign Affairs Senior retired United Kingdom diplomats on short attachments to Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. To provide advice on restructuring in a democratic society. Approved at a cost to KHF of £ 15,000.

Police Training Senior officers from Strathclyde police on short missions to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to advise on police training needs and restructuring. Approved at a cost to KHF of £20,000.

Low Cost Book Scheme Subsidies for text books for retailers and individuals in the three Baltic states in co-operation with International Books Development Ltd. Approved at a cost to KHF of £66,000.

Short Term Scholarships One year scholarships for postgraduates and young professionals in the three Baltic states. Target areas are economics, finance and management. In co-operation with higher education institutions. Approved at a cost to KHF of £120,000.

Bradford Baltic Unit Attachment of students from the three Baltic states to the Baltic Unit of Bradford University. Approved at a cost to KHF of £70,900.

Books for Parliament Provision of text books in key areas to libraries of the Parliaments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Approved at a cost to the KHF of £15,000.

Seminar .for Parliamentary Librarians Training seminar for parliamentary librarians from three Baltic states. In co-operation with the Library of the House of Commons. Approved at a cost to the KHF of £8,000.

Legal Attachments Attachments of young lawyers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to the Law Society of Scotland and Scottish legal practices. Approved at a cost to KHF of £40,000.

Legal Concepts for Translators Training in legal concepts in English for translators attached to the office of the Lithuanian Supreme Council. In co-operation with the University of Edinburgh. Approved at a cost to KHF of £10,000.

Television Training Project Instructing trainees from the three Baltic states in British television production procedures. In co-operation with the Soros Foundation. Approved at a cost to the KHF of £26,000.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Training Visit to UK by Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Chief of Protocol. Approved at a cost to KHF of £2,000.

Publisher Training Seminar on publishing and the book trade in Lithuania. In co-operation with the Open Society Foundation of Lithuania. Approved at a cost to KHF of £30,000.

Re-integration Conference Conference on the re-integration of the Baltic states into the world community. In co-operation with the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Approved at a cost to KHF of £6,000.

Voluntary Organisations Legislation Visit of legal experts to advise on framing voluntary organisation legislation in Lithuania. Approved at a cost to KHF of £5,000.

Estonian Maritime Board Visit of delegation to UK to study hydrography, search and rescue methods. Approved at cost to KHF of £5,000.

MISSIONS

Banking, Finance and Privatisation Mission Short mission to Baltic states to identify potential projects and terms of reference by Know How Fund Adviser. Approved at cost to KHF of £11,000.

Insurance Mission Mission to the Baltic states to identify potential projects and terms of reference by Know How Fund Adviser. Approved at cost to KHF of £6,000.

Energy Audit Mission Assessment missions to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia to prepare terms of reference in co-operation with Ministries of Energy for National Energy Audit and other energy sector technical assistance projects by Know How Fund consultant. Approved at cost to KHF of £15,500.

Joint Exchanges Committee Mission Mission to advise on the establishment of a physical commodity exchange. Approved at a cost to KHF of £4,000.

TRAINING AND ACADEMIC LINK PROJECTS

University of Stirling Exploratory visit in association with the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Cost to KHF to be finalised.

Leicester Polytechnic Exploratory visit in association with Riga Technical University. Cost to KHF of £1,000.

INVESTMENT SCHEMES PROJECTS

Michael Abakhan Ltd. Training for personnel in partly British owned investment in Estonia. Approved at cost to KHF of £15,600.