§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his 255W answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, on 14th February 1978, he will make a statement explaining why, in view of the substantial increase in expenditure on exhibitions, demonstrations and publicity to promote the sale of surplus equipment in the past four years shown in his answer, he has found it necessary to add to this expenditure by employing and paying agents during these four years when none was employed previously.
§ Dr. GilbertThe use of agents in connection with a limited number of defence sales is not determined by the level of expenditure on exhibitions, demonstrations and publicity. Agents are employed to pursue with individual customer countries opportunities for the sale of particular defence equipments.