HL Deb 13 July 1999 vol 604 cc34-5WA
The Earl of Carlisle

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the priority areas in which British aid can be deployed to assist the Russian Federation and nations formerly under the control of the Soviet Union; and what importance they place on co-operation within those nations' commercial sectors. [HL3514]

Baroness Amos

There are five broad priority areas for assistance to the countries of the former Soviet Union: supporting the enabling framework: for economic growth; an inclusive approach to economic management allowing benefits to be shared as widely as possible; empowerment of people through access to rights, skills, security and information; protection and restoration of the environment; and the global dimension—deepening integration into the international community.

The distribution of British assistance between these priorities varies in each country, including the extent to which it supports the private sector. Our assistance recognises, however, the crucial role of countries' private sectors in the transition to a market economy and pluralist democracy.