Europe Open for Business

HC Deb 10 June 1992 vol 209 cc289-90

1. Mr. French

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many businesses have responded to his Department's Europe Open for Business initiative.

The Minister for Trade (Mr. Richard Needham)

More than 400,000 requests for information have been received by the European Open for Business campaign since March 1988, including 266,000 calls to the hotline.

Mr. French

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the success of this initiative. What further measures does he propose to assist business after January, when the market starts? What representations has he received from business about the way in which it feels it can best be assisted to take the greatest advantage of single market opportunities?

Mr. Needham

I will pass my hon. Friend's congratulations to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry, who must take the credit as I was in other parts during the successful campaign. There is an immense amount to be done, not least in the enforcement and implementation of the single market. In the summer I shall certainly have discussions with industry about how we can develop the next part of our strategy for ensuring that British industry can take advantage of the single market and that the single market is working effectively.

Mr. Flynn

Does the Minister think it part of the success of the European Open for Business campaign that thousands of British jobs, including precious high-tech jobs from INMOS in my constituency, are being syphoned off to European countries? Why has his Department built a Chinese wall around itself, refusing to reply to messages from hon. Members and the managing director of INMOS who are begging the Department to set up practical partnership arrangements with INMOS to save high-tech jobs that have a great future? If France and Italy are prepared to invest in British industry and technology, why is the Department not prepared to?

Mr. Needham

As far as I am aware, the hon. Gentleman has not yet been on the telephone to me. The number is 215 4301, and there is no Chinese wall around my office. The single market presents enormous opportunities for our industry. Now that Britain has returned a Conservative Government who are setting the right atmosphere and the right mood of confidence for industry, thousands of jobs will be created.

Mr. Adley

As one who has been on the telephone to my hon. Friend at the weekend about a company in my constituency, may I thank him for his assiduous attention to duty? At an early date, will he give me a report by telephone or note about the progress that he is able to offer the company, Lovaux, on its current problems?

Mr. Needham

I shall phone my hon. Friend later this afternoon.