HC Deb 20 July 1994 vol 247 cc325-6W
21. Mr. Page

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what communications he has had with trade associations to ensure that they speak with a coherent voice in each industrial sector.

Mr. Heseltine

As I made clear in a speech on 17 June last year, I want to see trade associations that are powerful, effective and influential and which play a significant role in promoting the international competitiveness of their sectors. These views are shared by many industrialists, and I am pleased that trade associations in a number of sectors are now coming together.