§ Mr. Soleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state (i) the gross financial resources in real terms available to the British Overseas Trade Board for each year since 1979 and (ii) the projections for the British Overseas Trade Board budget in real terms for the next five years.
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§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following figures show gross and net expenditure by the British Overseas Trade Board in constant price terms:
£ million (September 1979) Year Gross expenditure Net expenditure 1979–80 25.7 21.2 1980–81 19.8 16.1 1981–82 19.2 15.2 1982–83 20.8 16.3 1983–84 20.5 15.3 1984–85 124.5 118.7 1985–86 24.2 217.1 1986–87 24.7 16.2 1 Expenditure on publicity and promotion was transferred to the BOTB budget from the COI with effect from 1984–85. On a constant price basis the expenditure amounted to £1.5 million in 1984–85. 2 Export Intelligence Service revenue was transferred to the BOTB budget from another DTI budget with effect from 1985–86. On a constant price basis this reduced net expenditure by £0.3 million in 1985–86. The level of the BOTB budget for the years 1987–88 to 1989–90 is being reviewed as part of the 1986 Public Expenditure Survey which will be completed shortly.