§ Mr. John Garrettasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the official export promotion organisation.
§ Mr. ShoreI have been reviewing the official export promotion organisation, and in particular the work and structure of the British Overseas Trade Board, in consultation with the board itself, its area advisory groups, and outside bodies concerned with exporting. I have also studied the report of a non-official committee chaired by Mr. Michael Montague.
215WI have reached the conclusion that whilst the board is making a very valuable contribution to our exporting effort its future structure should enable it to mobilise as much knowledge and experience as is available to increase exports. Industry needs and wishes to be more closely associated with the work of the board. I have therefore decided that the board's membership should be strengthened by adding to it representatives of the Trades Union Congress, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and the Confederation of British Industry.
The implications for exports of planning agreements and the greater exchange of information between Government and industry is just as important as the promotion of exports overseas; there is now a greater need than ever to take account of developments in our overseas markets.
Two additional senior officials, one from the Department of Industry and the other from the Department of Trade, will, therefore, also become members of the board. I shall in addition make one or two individual appointments of people who I feel can be of particular service to the board both at home and abroad.
Each year a proportion of members other than officials will retire and be replaced; this should ensure the regular introduction of new people with new ideas.
Whilst the board will continue to retain responsibility for making and executing policy decisions in export promotion I have decided to create an advisory council which will provide a useful forum of criticism and advice and an additional two-way channel of communication between the board and industry. It will consist of members of the enlarged board, the chairmen of the board's area advisory groups and representatives of other organisations whose work is closely involved with overseas trade, including chambers of commerce. The latter should ensure a wider regional representation of exporting interests outside London. I envisage a council of about 50 members which will meet three or four times a year under my chairmanship.
I shall be announcing further details of the new arrangements as soon as possible.