§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) by how much United Kingdom manufacturers' percentage share of the visual display unit market has fallen since 1986; what assessment he has made of the reasons for this fall; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what action he is taking to arrest the continuing decline of United Kingdom manufacturers' percentage share of the visual display unit market.
258W
§ Mr. ForthUnited Kingdom manufacturers' sales, as a percentage of the United Kingdom market for visual display units, fell from 64 per cent. in 1986 to 47 per cent. in the first nine months of 1988. The figures do not include VDUs that are manufactured and incorporated on site into complete systems, such as personal computers.
Since early 1987 IBM United Kingdom has manufactured a high proportion of its own VDUs at its British PC plant, and the fact that these are not included in the published VDU statistics is a significant factor in explaining the apparent decline.
Decisions about sourcing policy are a matter for the commercial judgment of individual busineses. The Government's responsibility is to create the right economic climate and to encourage enterprise. My Department has available a wide range of assistance to companies under the enterprise initiative.