HC Deb 09 May 1963 vol 677 cc655-6
30. Sir C. Osborne

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a Leicester manufacturer secured an order from Italy on 4th April, applied the same day to the Export Credits Guarantee Department, received no acknowledgment, wrote again on the 12th, and on the 17th was advised by a circular letter that it would require another month before the guarantee could be granted; if he will look into the working of this Department with a view to hastening decisions so that export orders may not be lost; and, in view of the correspondence sent to him, if he will make a statement.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. David Price)

The manufacturer did not supply the address of the buyer, who was unknown to E.C.G.D., until 10th April. Owing to the large number of applications received each week E.C.G.D. can make cable inquiries only in urgent cases. The exporter's letter of 12th April, which was received on 16th April because of the Easter break, was the first indication to the Department that the matter was urgent. Cable inquiries were then made and the Department was able to agree the limit required on 23rd April.

Sir C. Osborne

That answer is not good enough. Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that getting exports is not fun and that men have to sweat their guts out to get orders? Is he aware that this manufacturer in Leicester, which is only 30 miles away from the Department's office in Nottingham, had to wait for seven days before receiving a reply and that, when it came, it consisted of a circular letter saying that the manufacturer would have to wait another month while the Department thought about the matter. This is not good enough. If British business were run by civil servants we would be broke. Will not my hon. Friend do something to increase the efficiency of his Department?

Mr. Price

I think that my hon. Friend is being a little intemperate in his observations. He may be interested to know that about 70 per cent. of the 3,000 applications for credit limits which are received each week by this Department are answered and dealt with within 72 hours.

As I explained in my original Answer, the manufacturer concerned did not supply all the necessary information, including—and surely this is not an unreasonable piece of information to require—the address of the buyer. These facts must be remembered when complaints are made about something not being dealt with quickly. However, to make the matter absolutely clear to my hon. Friend, I will send him a detailed time-table of the events.

Sir C. Osborne

Is my hon. Friend smugly satisfied with the way this section of his Department is working? Is it reasonable, even though this manufacturer omitted some information, That he had to write a second time to the Department to get a reply which, even then, was a circular letter saying that it would take another month to decide? Is my hon. Friend really satisfied with that? If he is, I can assure him that I am not.

Mr. Price

I do not think that my hon. Friend has been properly informed. The circular letter did not say that it would take another month, but pointed out that the buyer concerned was not previously known to E.C.G.D. and that, therefore, the Department would, quite properly, have to make the necessary inquiries. Getting information from Italy, and so on, can take up to four weeks.

Sir C. Osborne

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will at some time raise this matter on the Adjournment.