HC Deb 20 January 1993 vol 217 c366
6. Mr. Cohen

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current cost of the cultural programme administered by overseas trade division 3 of his Department.

Mr. Needham

My Department does not normally administer cultural programmes. However, overseas trade division 3 had a budget of £1.4 million for the cultural and entertainment programme connected with Expo 92.

Mr. Cohen

Did the existence of that cultural programme come as a surprise to the Minister and his officials? Is not that symptomatic of the absence of any serious promotion of British trade abroad? Are not the Government so ashamed of the Britain that they have run down over the past 14 years that they cannot promote British culture or help our exporters?

Mr. Needham

I was not in the slightest bit surprised by our cultural budget for Expo. We can teach anyone in the world about culture, and we did so at Expo. The British day was the most successful of all national days at Expo because of our immense cultural attainments.

Mr. Duncan

Given the importance of our cultural programmes overseas and the fact that the Sri Lankan Minister of Trade and Commerce, Mr. Abeygunasekera, is currently visiting the United Kingdom, will my hon. Friend take this opportunity to reaffirm his belief in the importance of our trade and cultural relations with Sri Lanka and, indeed, our admiration for that country's domestic policies?

Mr. Needham

Yes, although Sri Lanka is rather far from Seville.