§ 7. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the efforts being made in United Kingdom embassies and high commissions to promote sales of British aerospace equipment; and what steps are taken to refute allegations made by foreign diplomatic representatives which are aimed at damaging British interests.
§ Mr. AmeryThe staffs of British embassies and high commissions do their best to promote the sales of British aerospace equipment. By the same token they do their best to counter any adverse publicity about British products. In all this, of course, they co-operate closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and the companies concerned.
§ Mr. AdleyI am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply. Did he see a recent article in the Daily Express by Chapman Pincher which indicated that a degree of commercial warfare was being undertaken by certain of our overseas competitors, seeking to prevent the sale of British aerospace equipment in a number of countries? Will my right hon. Friend take a suitable opportunity to discuss this with the American authorities, which are named in the article, because if what is alleged in the article is in any way true it must surely lead to a souring of Anglo-American relations?
§ Mr. AmeryMy hon. Friend will appreciate that from long experience in these matters I know that the line between boosting one's own aerospace equipment and knocking that of others is rather fine.
§ Sir Harmar NichollsWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that, while in recent years there has been considerable improvement in the commercial outlook in our embassies, we must not let up on it? The commercial warfare which has been mentioned is a true and serious matter. We must have people who understand the idiom of business to make certain that we get a fair crack of the whip.
§ Mr. AmeryI entirely agree with my hon. Friend. I think he will find that there has been a marked improvement in the contribution that the Foreign Service has made to this matter over recent years.