§ 26. Mr. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement comparing the credit facilities afforded for building ships in the United Kingdom with those afforded in competing foreign countries; and in what respects particular foreign countries offer more advantageous terms.
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§ Mr. MeacherThe export credit facilities officially supported by major shipbuilding countries are governed by the terms of an OECD understanding. Support from ECGD is available to British exporters of ships within the terms of this understanding. We believe that this enables them to offer commercial credit terms which are fully competitive with the facilities offered by foreign builders.
§ Mr. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received about the need to improve the credit facilities for the building of ships in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MeacherI have received representations on behalf of the shipbuilding industry that sales, particularly to developing countries, could be increased if more liberal export credit terms were allowed than those currently prescribed by the OECD understanding. This would, of course, require the agreement of other participants in the OECD understanding.