§ Mr. Bryant Godman Irvineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sections or agencies exist in his Department for collecting information from, or giving advice and assistance to, private sector industry.
§ Mr. KershawThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry, provides exporters with a world wide trade promotion and information network. At some 220 embassies, high commissions and consulates in more than 100 countries, about 480 diplomatic service officers and 380 locally engaged officers employed full-time on commercial and economic work send back to the United Kingdom a constant flow of commercial information for dissemination by the Department of Trade and Industry throughout British industry. They seek out and report export opportunities, help British firms wishing to appoint agents and distributors etc., and give advice and assistance to representatives of British firms visiting their territories either as independent visitors, as members of trade missions or as exhibitors in trade fairs.
In addition the Overseas Development Administration is currently implementing the proposals in Cmnd. 4656 for using official aid to encourage British private investment in developing countries and has appointed an adviser on private investment to assist with this work.
244WThe collection of information from private industry is a matter for the Department of Trade and Industry.