§ Mr. Matthew BanksTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has to increase the technical assistance it provides to overseas administrations.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryCustoms intends, on a full cost recovery basis, to increase the amount of technical assistance which it provides on the existing Government-to-Government basis and in association with business. This would include the secondment of skilled staff to firms providing services in the areas of customs and indirect taxation.
This expansion will help to improve the opportunities for consultancy and training delivered on overseas development aid programmes. It will also increase the advice that we can give the emerging democracies of central Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and to drug-source countries. It will extend the United Kingdom's influence around the world, thereby adding to the indirect benefits which can be produced for our economy.