Brno Exhibition (Hansard, 1 November 1990)

§ Ms. Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department gave financial or technical assistance to any British company to facilitate participation in the Brno environmental exhibition held from 23 to 25 October.

§ Mr. Redwood
My Department provides financial and technical support for 6,000 to 7,000 companies at more than 300 overseas trade fairs each year. The programme of support for 1990–91 announced last November, included the major engineering fair at Brno, in which environmental-related products were included, but not the environmental fair.

§ Ms. Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any Minister or official from his Department attended the environmental exhibition in Brno, Czechoslovakia, held on 23 to 25 October; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Redwood
[holding answer 30 October 1990]: No Minister or official from my Department visited the exhibition. United Kingdom firms were, of course, free to attend if they chose. However, the Department hoped to support a group of some 60 companies at the Brno engineering fair, which took place in September; 55

Sources of United Kingdom sales of bicycles—1980–1990

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Australia ^* ^* — ^* — — — — — ^*

Austria ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Bahamas — — — — — — — — — ^*

Belgium-Luxembourg ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Brazil ^* ^* — — — — ^* ^* ^* —

Canada ^* ^* ^* — — ^* — ^* ^* ^*

Chile — — — — — ^* — — — —

China ^* ^* ^* — ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Cyprus — — — — — ^* — — — —

Czechoslovakia ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Denmark — ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

772W
companies attended with DTI support. Some of the companies in the British group exhibited equipment which had application in the field of environmental protection. At the request of my Department, Dr. N. S. Wooding, chairman of the East European Trade Council, visited this trade fair, where he met all the British companies present, including those exhibiting independently of DTI support.

§ Ms. Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many British companies attended the environmental exhibition in Brno, Czechoslovakia, held from 23 to 25 October; what proportion this represented of the total; and what information he has on the corresponding figures from West Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and Austria.

§ Mr. Redwood
[holding answer 30 October 1990]: According to information supplied by the organisers of the exhibition, five British companies attended. This was 2 per cent, of the total participation of 250 companies. Figures also provided by the organisers give the following participation level for the countries listed in the question:

Country Number of companies Per cent.

West Germany 24 9.6

France 1 0.4

Italy 3 1.2

Sweden No participation

Austria 61 24.4

Sources of United Kingdom sales of bicycles—1980–1990
	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Australia	^*	^*	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Austria	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Bahamas	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Belgium-Luxembourg	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Brazil	^*	^*	—	—	—	—	^*	^*	^*	—
Canada	^*	^*	^*	—	—	^*	—	^*	^*	^*
Chile	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—
China	^*	^*	^*	—	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Cyprus	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—
Czechoslovakia	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Denmark	—	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*

Country	Number of companies	Per cent.
West Germany	24	9.6
France	1	0.4
Italy	3	1.2
Sweden	No participation
Austria	61	24.4