§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it is his intention to continue to implement the policy outlined in Cmnd. 7233 asking British companies operating in South Africa to submit reports to Her Majesty's Government on their activities in South Africa; how many companies sent in reports in each of the years 1979 to 1983; and what action his Department took as a result of these reports.
§ Mr. ChannonHer Majesty's Government attach importance to the code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa which was adopted by the Governments of the member states of the European Community on 20 September 1977. The Government continue to encourage British companies to comply fully with their reporting responsibilities under the Code. My Department produces an annual analysis and summary of companies' reports copies of which are placed in each House — the most recent on 30 March 1983. The numbers of companies submitting reports from 1979 to 1982 are listed in these documents. The number of436W companies submitting reports in 1983 will not be known until the Department's analysis and summary is submitted to Parliament in 1984.