§ 6. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is proposing in order to in crease exports and remove the deficit on the balance of trade.
§ Mr. NobleThe country's export performance reflects the results achieved by individual exporters. The Government provide a wide range of services to support these exporters in their efforts. The British Overseas Trade Board is at present conducting a review of these services.
§ Mrs. ShortIs that not a disappointing reply since it shows that neither the Minister nor the Department intends to take any steps to remedy the position? Is it not a serious situation when the average balance of payments deficit reaches £55 million a month, as has been the case since the beginning of the year? Is he not concerned about the reduction in the number of cars exported and about the corresponding increase in the number of cars imported—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Enough is enough. The hon. Lady has already asked three supplementary questions. That is as many as I can allow.
§ Mrs. ShortDoes the Minister not think he ought to do something about it?
§ Mr. NobleThe hon. Lady is correct if she thinks that I should be concerned that our export figures, whether related to cars or to anything else, should be as good as they possibly can be. But, as my reply indicated, it is up to individual exporters to do this job and up to the Government to provide the best export services they can. I believe our export services are the best in the world.
§ Mr. PowellDoes my right hon. Friend not agree that for this country a favourable balance of visible trade is a damaging absurdity?
§ Mr. NobleI can at least agree that this has happened on only a handful of occasions in the last hundred years.
§ Mr. NobleThe British Overseas Trade Board is properly considering, with a great deal of care, the considerable amount of money it spends on behalf of the Government, and I am sure it will soon be making a full report.