§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the British Overseas Trade 153W 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. FletcherThe 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. Gryllsasked 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. FletcherAnnual 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.