HC Deb 10 November 1953 vol 520 cc24-5W
75. Mr. Bottomley

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the trade mission of prominent business men who are to visit the Middle East countries in November will include Israel and Persia in their itinerary.

Mr. Amory

No.

76. Mr. Bottomley

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional facilities can be given to obtain the increase in the export trade which is hoped for as a result of sending a special trade mission of prominent business men in November to the Middle East countries.

Mr. Amory

I think we should await the Mission's report on their visit before considering what further facilities can usefully be provded for the promotion of our trade with Middle East countries.

78. Mr. Erroll

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the forthcoming trade mission to the Middle East.

Mr. Amory

As the House is aware, the oil producing regions of the Middle East are very important export markets and Her Majesty's Government have decided to send a trade mission of prominent business men to those countries and to Syria and Lebanon in the immediate future. The team has now been constituted under the leadership of Sir Edward Benthall, and I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the gratitude of Her Majesty's Government to these gentlemen for volunteering their services.

The mission will leave in a few days' time and will visit, over a period of about five weeks, Bagdad, Kuwait, Damascus, Beirut and Jedda as well as other important commercial centres in the countries in question.