§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the trade promotion work of his Department.
§ Mr. BiffenMy predecessor as Secretary of State for Trade told the House on 30 April 1980 that he was making significant savings of staff and money, totalling some 100 posts and £10 million, on export promotion work and that he was giving consideration to the question of organisation of this work with the aim of ensuring maximum efficiency and the minimum disruption to the main thrust of our export work. We have now completed the last stages of a major restructuring of this important area of the Department's responsibilities. We have received valuable help from the British Overseas Trade Board in achieving this. The aim has been to bring together within one building and under one head all the support services which the Government can appropriately provide for United Kingdom exporters—other than ECGD—and to give these services a stronger market orientation. The results should be even greater cost effectiveness for our operations. I have placed details of the new structure in the library of the House.