§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many international firms are employed by the Department of Commerce directly or indirectly through other Government Departments to promote investment in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe Department of Commerce for Northern Ireland at present employs one company based in Japan and another based in Great Britain to assist in its promotion of overseas investment in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the relationship is between the Invest in Britain Bureau and the Department of Commerce; what is the extent of the co-operation; and to what extent Northern Ireland loses in competition with other parts of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe promotion of the United Kingdom as a whole as a location for inward investment is undertaken by the Department of Industry through the Invest in Britain Bureau using the resources of Her Majesty's posts throughout the world. Responsibility for promoting Northern Ireland in particular rests with the Department of Commerce which, together with appropriate authorities from Wales and Scotland, is represented on the Committee for Overseas Promotion. This committee, which is chaired by the IBB, co-ordinates overseas promotion of inward investment with particular regard to the deployment of United Kingdom resources abroad.
The particular difficulties associated with promoting the Province overseas mean that the relationship between the DOC and the IBB is of critical importance. I am satisfied that my officials are receiving full co-operation from the IBB in their efforts to promote investment in Northern Ireland, Within the framework of arrangements for promoting the United Kingdom as a whole there is a clear recognition of Northern Ireland's special need for a substantial inflow of inward investment.