§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcomes of the recent visit by the trade Minister to South Africa and on future plans for trade development with South Africa. [19913]
§ Mr. NeedhamDuring my visit to South Africa in March, 80 business men were involved in technical seminars on the royal yacht, on-shore business-to-business meetings and meetings with key figures in the South African Government of National Unity.
Nearly 50 of the business party travelled to Johannesburg during the middle of the week to discuss issues with the financial community and to talk to their opposite numbers in the electricity utility, Eskom, brewing conglomerate, South African Breweries, and urban regeneration planners and engineers at the Johannesburg Transitional metropolitan council.
British companies announced a series of major deals during the week which are expected to lead millions of pounds of additional business.
An Anglo-South African partnership initiative is to be established, comprising some of the most important business men in both countries, which will promote trade between the two countries. This is expected to be formally inaugurated in September, when we will be staging a major "British Week" in Johannesburg. This will feature sporting and cultural events as well as a major all-British trade exhibition under the title "Britain means Business'.