§ Mr. ButterfillTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms have approached his Department for information concerning the single market; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe DTI has recorded over 260,000 inquiries for information on the single market since our `Europe Open for Business' campaign was launched in March 1988, including more than 150,000 calls to our 1992 telephone hotline. The large majority of these requests have been from individual firms or business organisations. In addition, DTI Ministers and officials have spoken at more than 1,250 single market conferences and seminars since the campaign began, mainly to business audiences.
§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many single European market measures were agreed in principle, adopted or had common positions under the Spanish presidency of the European Commission; and whether this total exceeds those under previous presidencies.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 3 November 1989]: A record 68 measures aimed at removing barriers to trade within the Community were finally adopted, agreed in principle, or had common positions agreed for submission to the European Parliament, under the Spanish presidency of the Council of Ministers in the first half of this year. Of these 23 came from the single market White Paper. The comparable figures for earlier presidencies were:
Presidency and Date All measures White Paper Luxembourg July—December 1985 32 22 Netherlands January—June 1986 13 4 United Kingdom July—December 1986 48 24 Belgium January—June 1987 23 15 Denmark July—December 1987 31 8 Federal Republic of Germany January—June 1988 56 23 Greece July—December 1988 54 18 Spain January—June 1989 68 23 Note: The figures in the White Paper column are for adoptions, except for the Spanish Presidency, which includes three common positions awaiting final adoption.
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§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total expenditure per year associated with his Department's single market unit.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 3 November 1989]: Expenditure to date on the Department of Trade and Industry's "Europe Open for Business" campaign, which is the responsibility of my Department's single market unit, is around £13 million. Of this, around £8.9 million is represented by national advertising. The remaining £4.1 million has provided a detailed and comprehensive range of literature; a national telephone inquiry service and mailing operation; the Spearhead computer database; video materials; research into business preparations; and a major series of business conferences in 1988.
§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make it his policy to hold six-monthly national conferences bringing together business men and women, trades unions and professional bodies to discuss the implications of the European single market of 1992.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 3 November 1989]: I have no plans at present to hold regular conferences of this type. Department of Trade and Industry Ministers and officials have already spoken at over 1,250 single market conferences and seminars, and are further committed to participating in over 100 more. In addition, my Department's extensive day-to-day contact with business and representational bodies provides ample opportunity to discuss single market issues.