§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that funding of the European airbus on other than commercial terms will not prejudice United Kingdom exports to the United States of America; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing what proportion of the increase since 1979 in United Kingdom exports of finished manufactures is accounted for by the increase in exports of such manufactures to the United States of America and how much to the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PattieThe airbus partner Governments have reaffirmed that any support for Airbus Industry and its partner companies will be in accordance with their GATT obligations. Before agreeing to provide British Aerospace with launch aid in respect of the airbus A330/A340, the Government will wish to be satisfied that the projects have sound prospects of economic and commercial viability and that they could expect to receive a real rate of return on their investment. The increase between 1979 and 1986 in exports of finished manufactures to the United States of America was equivalent to 26 per cent. and to the EC countries 43 per cent. of the overall increase.