§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence has resulted from major export drives as to the effectiveness of the establishment of commercial posts overseas in terms of increasing exports. [25495]
§ Mr. NeedhamThe FCO's commercial Posts play a crucial role in the delivery of the Government's export promotion drive. It would be impossible to mount major campaigns such as "Action Japan" or the "Indo-British Partnership" without the support of commercial officers overseas. The "Indo-British Partnership" has been associated with an increase of 50 per cent. in bilateral trade between the UK and India. A new office was opened in Bangalore to help prepare this initiative. Business demand for charged services has nearly tripled. During the period of "Action Japan" and its predecessor, "Priority Japan", exports to Japan have risen significantly. This trend continues as visible exports are 35 per cent. higher in the first three months of 1995 than for the same period last year. I am confident from my recent visit that the 35 Japanese specialists we have in Tokyo contribute a great deal to this success story.