§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost of the export intelligence service (a) to public funds and (b) to subscribers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonThe computerised export intelligence service (EIS) is the principal means by which the British Overseas Trade Board conveys to exporters information about export opportunities overseas. An independent consultants' survey estimated that about £1,000 million of United Kingdom firms' annual export sales followed directly from information provided to EIS subscribers.
Firms subscribing to the EIS selective notice service pay 35p for each notice sent to them. The Daily Gazette, which contains all the information issued on any one day costs £500 per annum.
Figures of EIS operational costs and earnings in the past five years are as follows:
Operational Costs £000s
Earnings £000s
1979–80 1,948 523 1980–81 2,088 511 1981–82 2,159 492 1982–83 1,997 442 1983–84 1,859 466