§ Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking either to sponsor or encourage the training of business executives and civil servants in modern marketing techniques.
§ Mr. DarlingThe Board of Trade, through the British Productivity Council, supports the National Marketing Council which was set up specifically to promote a wider knowledge of marketing and the adoption of sound marketing practices throughout British industry. I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster on 2nd February, 1967, about the direct support we are giving in connection with the marketing courses being sponsored by the National Marketing Council later this year and about the activities of the London and Manchester Business Schools. I should also mention, though this is the province of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, that of the considerable98W number of courses in various aspects of management studies provided by universities and colleges for further education, many include marketing in their syllabuses.
Before their first appointment to a commercial post overseas, all officers of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service now take an eight-week commercial course of instruction provided by the City of London College on behalf of the Board of Trade, one week of which is devoted to marketing techniques. Some senior officers also attend marketing courses run by private organisations. In the Board of Trade selected staff directly concerned with exports take part in courses on exporting and these include study of marketing techniques.—[Vol. 740, c. 170–1.]