§ 38. Mr. ElletsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to assist United Kingdom energy companies to win export orders.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe DTI and FCO's overseas trade services provide a broad package of support and market advice which is available to companies in the energy sector, as indeed it is to those in all sectors.
249WSpecial initiatives are also undertaken, such as outward missions to markets of particular interest to energy companies. Recent missions arranged by the projects export promotion division of the DTI visited China, Vietnam and India. In addition, the Minister for Energy, has visited south-east Asia, Kazakhstan and Algeria to promote the United Kingdom's wide-ranging expertise in the energy sector.
PEP also provides the secretariat for the power sector working group of the Overseas Projects Board; which is a working group of senior personnel from industries involved in power generation, including generators, manufacturers and distributors. Its aim is to support initiatives to improve the United Kingdom's performance in winning overseas power project contracts.
The DTI's oil and gas projects and supplies office, which provides support for United Kingdom industry's effort to win orders in international oil and gas markets in the upstream, downstream and petrochemical sectors, has increased the resources which it devotes to export promotion. OSO's support for United Kingdom involvement in overseas markets is being given the highest priority.