HC Deb 29 June 1999 vol 334 c118W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the work of East European Partnerships in Russia. [88013]

Clare Short

We currently provide substantial support for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), part of which is used to fund VSO's East European Partnership programme. The programme in Russia responds to requests for volunteers from a variety of different sectors. At any one time there can be between 15 to 20 volunteers, mainly working with public authorities and supporting the health and social welfare sectors in the Urals area, with some support for the development of children's shelters in the Moscow area.