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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement between the United Kingdom and Hungarian Governments concerning the extension and refurbishment of the Peto Institute in Budapest. [21570] Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Under an agreement in 1991 with the Hungarian Government, the Government made a contribution of £1.75 million towards the cost of building a new international Peto Institute in Budapest to be brought into operation by 1996. It has not proved possible to use this money for the purpose originally intended. The Government have instead now agreed a proposal from the Hungarians that these funds--approximately £2 million including interest accrued--should be applied to extend and refurbish an existing institute building in return for substantial benefits for UK citizens. These benefits include guaranteed numbers of places for British children receiving conductive education at the institute and for British students receiving professional training; reductions in fees for British children; and access on a cost basis to a guaranteed proportion of new family and student accommodation. The institute will continue to assist with the development of conductive education in the UK. A new intergovernmental agreement incorporating these benefits and appropriate safeguards for the implementation of the project will be signed later this month by the British ambassador in Budapest and a representative of the Hungarian Government.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

21570; 292 c772W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Central government Development aid Finance Grants Hungary Peto Institute Conductive education