§ 34. Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new steps he is taking to improve the services and advice offered by United Kingdom embassies and consulates to United Kingdom businesses wishing to export. [9266]
§ Mr. HanleyThis Department and the Department of Trade and Industry will jointly launch measures later this month to simplify access to, and raise awareness of, our services to exporters. We have already established a unit to monitor and help improve the quality standards of the chargeable services carried out for exporters by overseas posts. We have also launched an initiative to enhance the professionalism of officials engaged in trade promotion through a programme of secondments and externally accredited qualifications.