§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) under what legislative authority payment of allowances is made to trade unionists accompanying salesmen sent abroad in search of export orders;
(2) if Government allowances for trade unionists accompanying salesmen on overseas trade missions are available only to firms operating closed shops;
810W(3) how many trade unionists have accepted allowances from the Government so that they could accompany salesmen on overseas export missions;
(4) if Government allowances are available to shop-floor workers who are not members of a trade union to enable them to accompany salesmen on overseas export missions;
(5) what is the maximum allowance payable to a trade unionist on any single overseas export mission; and how many allowances each trade unionist can claim in any one year;
(6) who decides whether trade union applicants for Government allowances for overseas export missions should receive them;
(7) why it was thought necessary to offer allowances to enable trade unionists to accompany salesmen on overseas export missions;
(8) what criteria have to be satisfied before Government allowances are paid to trade unionists accompanying salesmen on overseas export missions.
§ Mr. MeacherUnder the British Overseas Trade Board's Outward Missions Scheme, expenditure for which rests on the authority of the annual Appropriation Acts, members of approved outward trade missions going to countries outside Western Europe, normally one per company, receive a grant towards travel and accommodation costs which varies from market to market up to £550 per representative.
Consistent with its wider aim of encouraging closer association between management and shop floor in export activity, the British Overseas Trade Board offers a firm participating in an outward mission a second grant towards the cost of including a shop floor representative where, in the judgment of the firm and with the approval of the chamber of commerce or trade association organising the mission, this would be advantageous from the standpoint of export promotion. The facility is not dependent on the operation of particular 811W trade union arrangements within a firm and the choice of shop floor representative would be a matter for the management of the firm in consultation, as necessary, with its work force. This facility was drawn generally to the attention of all trade associations and chambers of commerce in August 1976, but so far no applications have been received.