§ Mr. ThorneTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to visit Romania; and what steps are being taken to promote trading opportunities there;
(2) what plans he has to visit Bulgaria; and what steps are being taken to promote trading opportunities there.
§ Mr. RedwoodAt present, my right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Romania or Bulgaria. My Department promotes United Kingdom trade with both countries by providing companies with information about economic conditions and about specific business opportunities; by using joint commissions and other official contacts to find out as much as we can about local economic policies and priorities; and to support British companies pursuing significant business. I myself led a delegation to Romania in February 1990, and senior officials have recently visited Bulgaria.
Additionally, in Bulgaria, we are supporting trade promotion events such as the Plovdiv autumn fair; and we would support similar events in Romania.