To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual reports of (a) the Britain-Russia Centre and (b) the British East-West Centre will be published. [18276]

Copies of the Centres' Annual Report for 1996–97 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The Centres received a grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £237,000 to support their activities in 1996–97. In addition the Centres secured funding in 1996–97 of £237,227 for direct expenditure on projects. Their priority areas for assistance have been Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Centres continue to make a valuable contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations. Activities have included seminars and workshops; administering the British observer mission to the Russian presidential elections; work with the media in the republics of the Caucasus and senior level visits from Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.