§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies from the Bury and Radcliffe constituency, by name and by value of contract, have secured export guarantee credit support over the last 12-month period.
§ Mr. DeakinsIt is in the interest of both exporters and ECGD that relations between them are confidential. This has been the traditional position, and I am satisfied that the balance of advantage is firmly in favour of maintaining it.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies from the Bury and Radcliffe constituency have been refused export credit guarantees over the past 12 months; what was the value of contracts involved per company; and what was the reason for the refusal.
§ Mr. DeakinsSuch information is confidential to exporters concerned and to ECGD.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many companies in the Bury and Radcliffe constituency, having been granted export credit guarantees over the last 12 month period, subsequently lost the contract to foreign competition; what were the countries involved; and what was the total value involved;
(2) what were the total number of contracts considered over the last year for export credit guarantees; and what was the monetary value involved.
§ Mr. DeakinsI regret that this information is not available.
814W
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies in the Bury and Radcliffe constituency are at present negotiating export credit guarantees; what are the amounts involved; and with what countries they are in competition, per company.
§ Mr. DeakinsIt is in the interest of both exporters and ECGD that relations between them are confidential.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade which countries ultimately secured the contracts that had been approved by Her Majesty's Government for export credit guarantee over the past 12 months period; and what was the value involved.
§ Mr. DeakinsI am afraid that this information is not readily available.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take action to ensure that British companies receive full support when negotiating international companies against foreign Government competition whose sole criterion seems to be the purchase of market share by extreme export credit guarantees not matched by Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. DeakinsIt remains Government policy to ensure that the general package of facilities available from ECGD stands comparison with those available to overseas firms. There are, of course, limits beyond which it is not economically sensible to go in supporting exports. The Government are thus continuing to participate in international negotiations seeking to rationalise export credit competition. However, there is no question of the United Kingdom's taking unilateral action to restrict the terms of export credit which would put our exporters at a competitive disadvantage.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many of the approved contracts for export credit guarantee were subsequently taken up over the last 12 months period: and what was the value involved.
§ Mr. DeakinsI am afraid that this information is not readily available. However, the hon. Member may be interested to know that in the financial year 815W 1974–75 ECGD insured exports totalling £6,535million. This represents more than 35 per cent. of British exports and was a 37 per cent. increase over business insured in the previous financial year.