§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will recommend to the British Overseas Trade Board that it should consult the CBI and all trade associations so as to encourage companies to examine the competence and qualifications of their export staff.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe British Overseas Trade Board has taken a number of steps, both directly and indirectly, to bring home to companies, the importance of proper training for their export staff. Encouragement must be practical rather than general and the Board is working with those active in the field on several future initiatives. Its consultations in this area with the CBI continue.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will recommend to the British Overseas Trade Board that it should convene a high level meeting of 388W company directors to examine export policies in the light of floating currencies.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe board itself and its area advisory groups provide a high level business forum for discussing this matter. The chairman of the board has also written to the CBI and the ABCC, asking them to draw the attention of their members to the need for greater sophistication in export pricing policies in the light of floating exchange rates. Indeed, for the last year, Ministers and the board have taken every opportunity to emphasise publicly the importance of this subject.