§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many street children there are in Russia; in which Russian republics they are; and how many street children there are in each republic. [123738]
§ Hilary BennThere are no official statistics on street children in Russia and therefore no regional breakdown. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Development estimates that in 2002 there were approximately 10,100 street children in Russia. This is derived from records of the number of children admitted to state social care institutions in 2002.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid his Department gives to tackle the problem of street children in Russia; who this money is given to; and what the money is spent on. [123739]
581W
§ Hilary BennDFID has two projects at regional level which support families and children at risk, including street children. These are
Children at Risk in Sverdlovsk Oblast". The project is being implemented by Everychild at a cost of £784,000. The project's duration is three and a half years, ending in September 2003; andFamilies and Children at Risk". This is a new project in Leningrad Oblast, with an expected value of £1,500,000 from autumn 2003 to the end of 2005. The implementing agency is yet to be determined.Both projects provide technical assistance in the form of consultancy advice, training and study tours. The main beneficiaries are regional and local government administrations, and state and non-governmental organisations providing social services.