§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out his policy regarding the encouragement of youth exchanges between the United Kingdom and(a) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and (b) other countries in eastern Europe in the light of recent developments in those countries.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 21 May 1990]: We believe youth exchanges are an important vehicle for improving international understanding and relations between people at an individual level.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many young people were assisted financially, directly or indirectly, by the Government(a) individually or (b) as members of 471W organised groups, to participate in youth exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during each of the past 10 years;
(2) how many young people were assisted financially, directly or indirectly, by the Government (a) individually or (b) as members of organised groups, to participate in youth exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the countries of eastern Europe including the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 21 May 1990]: No figures are available for individual youth exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the USSR and countries of eastern Europe. The following figures for organised groups are available only from 1985 when the youth exchange centre was set up. Figures for the past 10 years could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
USSR E Europe and USSR 1985–86 263 1,609 1986–87 344 1,840 1987–88 382 1,724 1988–89 352 1,853 1989–90 819 2,822
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much money was(a) budgeted and (b) paid out by his Department in respect of youth exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in each of the past 10 years;
(2) how much money was (a) budgeted and (b) paid out by his Department directly or via intermediary bodies in respect of youth exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the countries of eastern Europe, including the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 22 May 1990]: We have statistics only for the youth exchange centre (YEC) which is funded by FCO (80 per cent.) and DES (20 per cent.) and administers youth exchanges on our behalf. The following figures are available only from 1985 when the YEC was set up. Figures for the past 10 years could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
Budgeted for Eastern Europe, including USSR Paid out for Eastern Europe, including USSR £ £ 1985–86 74,000 81,000 1986–87 74,500 87,000 1987–88 65,000 90,000 1988–89 63,000 95,000 1989–90 63,000 179,000
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much money has been budgeted for the present year and how much is projected for 1991(a) for the promotion of youth exchange visits and (b) to directly assist such exchanges between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(2) how much money has been budgeted for the present year and how much is projected for 1991 (a) for the 472W promotion of youth exchange and (b) to directly assist such exchanges between the United Kingdom and the countries of eastern Europe, including the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 22 May 1990]: For the financial year 1990–91, £653,000 has been budgeted for the promotion of youth exchanges throughout the world, of which £90,000 has been set aside for the countries of eastern Europe, including the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Similar figures are not available for the financial year 1991–92.