§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on which date his Department received notice from the organisers of the Indo-Rail Exhibition in Jakarta held on 16 to 19 April last; what action was taken; and for what reasons no support was offered to participants from the United Kingdom.
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§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe organisers of the Indo-Rail exhibition notified my Department of the event in a letter to the British Overseas Trade Board dated 2 December.
Our Embassy in Jakarta, with whom the organisers were in contact, were informed on 5 December that because BOTB resources for support of exporters at overseas trade fairs in 1986–87 were already fullly allocated and a substantial reserve list existed, it was unlikely that it would be possible to provide support for a United Kingdom group at Indo-Rail, should the trade association concerned (Railways Industries Association) make an application. This position was confirmed when a representative of the organisers attended a meeting at the BOTB on 8 January.