§ Ms Angela SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what future provision is being made for the support of trade fairs abroad. [1199]
§ Mr. BeckettMy officials will shortly be writing to potential sponsors inviting bids for trade fair and seminar support in 1998–99 under the Trade Fair and Seminar Support Schemes and with a view to announcing the successful ones later this year. Industry had told us that it believes a separate scheme is more effective than including trade fairs in a Challenge approach. In the light of these representations we have decided that support for trade fairs will not be included in any future round of the Sector Challenge. Together with industry we will be reviewing all forms of export assistance, including trade fairs, through the new Export Forum. These actions fulfil commitments made in our business manifesto to review the previous government's decision to change the arrangements for supporting British participation in trade fairs.