A FEW weeks ago, I read in the New Statesman that at the summer meeting of G8 countries at Okinawa, Japan, our Prime Minister offered to the Russian Prime Minister £70 million to fund a new Russian nuclear power programme.

I note now that our minister for floods, rail and other disasters, John Prescott, seems to be back-pedalling on his promise to pay for flood defence work.

Perhaps he would like to explain why his government considers it preferable to give tax-payers' money for projects in Russia rather than protecting the homes of people in Yorkshire.

George Heppell,

Riseborough House,

Rawcliffe Lane,

York.