§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many copies of the invitation to his Department's global technology partnership conference, to be held in Birmingham on 23 to 25 March, have been distributed; at what cost; which Ministers from his Department plan to attend; and what speeches by Ministers are planned.
§ Mr. EggarThe global technology partnership conference is aimed at encouraging greater technology co-operation between businesses in the United Kingdom and those in the more industrialised developing countries. In addition to environmental improvement, such co-operation can lead to commercial opportunities for all businesses involved. To ensure this message was widespread, just over 8,500 invitations were distributed in the United Kingdom and the selected developing countries. The distribution costs of this were £5,392.
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will speak at the conference.