HC Deb 13 March 1985 vol 75 cc152-3W
Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the British Overseas Trade Board budget is planned to be allocated to (a) overseas trade fairs, (b) the market entry guarantee scheme and (c) the overseas project fund in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88.

Mr. Fletcher

The information requested is as follows:

Percentage of BOTB Net Expenditure
1985–86 (Note 1) 1986–87 (Note 1)
Overseas Trade Fairs 45 41
Market Entry Guarantee Scheme 8 8
Overseas Projects Fund 16 18

Notes:

1. Figures for 1985–86 and 1986–87 are proposals which are subject to final decision by the BOTB in the light of response to its consultation document, a copy of which is in the Library.

2. The BOTB has not yet produced proposals for the allocation of funds between services within its budget for 1987–88.

Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the proportion of small companies among first time exhibitors at British Overseas Trade Board supported trade fairs in each year since 1979.

Mr. Fletcher

Annual details of the size of companies which have used the British Overseas Trade Board's schemes of support at overseas trade fairs are not known. But an independent consultant's survey in 1983 established that overall about 60 per cent. of the exhibitors who have used these schemes have fewer than 100 employees. An internal study in 1984 showed that about 70 per cent. have 200 employees or less.

Statistics about the number of occasions on which particular companies have exhibited at each particular trade fair where there is a BOTB group have been kept only since 1981. The pattern of first time exhibitors has been:

Number
1981 3,350
1982 3,737
1983 3,335
1984 3,193

There is no reason to suppose that the pattern was different before 1981 or that the proportion of small companies among the newcomers is less than the overall proportion of small companies in BOTB assisted groups of exhibitors.