HC Deb 11 July 1990 vol 176 cc218-9W
Ms. Quin

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to take any steps to ensure that the privatised insurance group of the ECGD will not operate in direct competition with the ECGD.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 3 July 1990]: The core business of the Insurance Services Group of the ECGD is quite different from that of the project group. The question of their competing is therefore unlikely to arise.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce the name of the successful bidder for the Insurance Services Group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 3 July 1990]: Final decisions have not yet been taken about the proposed method of sale of the Insurance Services Group, which would be subject to the necessary legislation. It is not therefore possible at present to say when I will be in a position to announce the name of any successful bidder(s).

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce the site of the new offices of the Insurance Services Group, Export Credits Guarantee Department.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 3 July 1990]: Decisions on the site of any new offices would be for the new management and owners.

Ms. Quin

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any proposition has been submitted to him and the ECGD concerning the possible conversion of the ECGD's projects group into a "next steps"-style agency.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 3 July 1990]: In his written answer of 18 December 1989, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced that the precise form of the organisation of ECGD after the separation of its Insurance Services Group would be decided as soon as possible. Decisions would focus on whether ECGD should remain a Department or acquire agency status.

A review has been conducted by the Office of the Minister of the Civil Service (OMCS) to inform that decision. This has taken account of the views expressed by a number of interested parties some of which were opposed to the idea of agency status. A final decision is expected to be announced very shortly.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the accumulated net annual profit or loss in respect of the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the main export credit insurers in(a) the United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) West Germany, (d) France and (e) Italy at the end of the 1988–89 financial year.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 10 July 1990]: The accumulated net annual profit and loss of the Export Credits Guarantee Department as at the end of the 1988–89 financial year can be found in the trading accounts laid before the House in HC 153 in February 1990. Owing to different organisational structures and accounting practices, no comparable figures are available for the other countries from published sources.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the annual profit or loss in respect of the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the main export credit insurers in(a) the United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) West Germany, (d) France and (e) Italy in 1988–89.

Mr. Redwood

[holding answer 9 July 1990]: The profit and loss account for the 1988–89 financial year of the Export Credits Guarantee Department can be found in the trading accounts laid before the House in HC 153 in February 1990. Owing to different organisational structures and accounting practices, no comparable figures are available for the other countries from published sources.