§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if commercial sections in British embassies have been instructed to seek potential investors in an independent Scottish steel industry, following British Steel's recent decision to close capacity at Ravenscraig.
§ Mr. MaudeInstructions have not been sent to commercial sections. Commercial sections in our embassies are, however, always seeking to identify potential inward investment projects across the range of business sectors and would pass on to the Invest in Britain Bureau details of any interest which may be expressed in steel or any other sector.