§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what capacity his Department has to supply comprehensive lists of manufacturing supplies in specific sectors to prospective purchasers of United Kingdom goods;
(2) what progress his Department has made in producing an acceptable comprehensive system for priority information on United Kingdom suppliers in each section of the manufacturing process.
§ Mr. EggarThe network of regional supply offices currently being set up in England by my Department will provide major purchasers with information on competitive suppliers in their region and more widely. Each of the 10 offices will focus on particular business sectors taking into account local strengths and weaknesses. The network will complement similar initiatives run by the Welsh and Scottish development agencies.
In addition, the overseas trade services, jointly provided by my Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, supply information on United Kingdom suppliers to potential overseas purchasers through commercial staff overseas, either from the extensive information sources held overseas or by referral back to the United Kingdom to the source of supply service run on our behalf by Prelink Ltd.