§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to encourage British exports through its offices overseas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe attach considerable importance to the promotion of British exports. Our policy is to provide services to exporters which in principle are available to all firms and for all overseas markets, with special emphasis on helping small and medium sized firms, or newcomers to markets.
The United Kingdom's official commercial services are available in markets throughout the world, through the Diplomatic Service's network of some 190 commercial posts.
More than 500 United Kingdom-based and locally engaged commercial officers provide these services, representing about 30 per cent. of the Diplomatic Service's overseas front-line resources, nearly twice as much as any other single function.
Overseas posts undertake commercial work in close collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry, which administers export promotion services in Britain. The FCO and DTI work closely together on export promotion and jointly manage export promotion services overseas.