§ Q23. Mr. Jim Marshallasked the Prime Minister if he will define the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Trade.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Secretary of State for Trade is responsible for the work of the Department of Trade, whose functions include responsibility for commercial policy and relations with over-486W seas countries; promotion, under the direction of the British Overseas Trade Board, of British exports; sponsorship of the shipping and civil aviation industries; international negotiations concerning shipping and civil aviation; the regulation of marine safety; the general regulation of industrial and commercial enterprises, for company law, patent, trade mark, copyright and insurance matters; and sponsorship of the tourism, hotel and travel, newspaper, printing, publishing and film industries and distributive and service trades. The Secretary of State is also responsible for the Export Credits Guarantee Department, whose functions are to provide a credit insurance facility and to guarantee finance for exported goods and services.