§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the last occasion on which a Government Minister led a trade delegation to(a) India, (b) Indonesia, (c) Israel and (d) Jamaica; and what future trade delegations are planned.[76535]
§ Mr. Wilson(a) The last occasion on which a Government Minister led a trade delegation to India was 4–12 March 1999, when my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister led a senior business delegation to Delhi and Bombay.
Future trade missions planned are Energy Industries Council (19–23 April 1999), DTI Environmental Technology (4–8 October 1999), Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce (1–5 November), Machine Tool Technologies Association (November 1999), Institute of Packaging (6–9 1999), Hull and East Riding Chamber of Commerce (December 1999), Northern Development Company (7–11 February 2000), Association of British Health Care Industries (February 2000), Business Link Sussex (February 2000).
(b) The last occasion on which a Government Minister led a trade delegation to Indonesia was 18–22 October 1997, for the launch of the Indonesian British Business Council.
There is one future trade mission planned by the Association of British Offshore Industries (29 November–1 December 1999).
(c) Lord Clinton-Davis, then Minister for Trade, led a delegation of 10 Export Development Counsellors to Israel During British Week in May 1998.
Future trade missions planned are Northern Development Company (26–30 April 1999), Sheffield International Trade Centre (9–12 May 1999), Dorset Business Link and South West Region (21–25 June 1999), British Link Kent (5–9 July 1999), Hull and East Riding Chamber of Commerce Industry and Shipping (30 August–3 September 1999), Southern Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce Training and Enterprise (11–15 October 1999), Business Link Herefordshire and Worcestershire (1–5 November 1999), Central and West Lancashire Chamber of Commerce (22–26 November 1999), Business Link Stockport (17–21 January 2000), The Welsh Office (31 January-4 February 2000), Lincolnshire County Council Economic Development Office (27–31 March 2000).
(d) The last occasion on which a Government Minister led a trade delegation to Jamaica was in June 1995 when the hon. Member for Esher and Walton (Mr. Taylor) led an unsponsored CARITAG (Caribbean Area Advisory Group) and WIC (West India Committee) mission to Jamaica, St. Lucia and Barbados.
92WFuture trade missions planned are Hull and East Riding Chamber (Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica, May 1999), British Consultants Bureau (Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica, October 1999), Bristol Chamber of Commerce (Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica, November 1999) and Croydon and South London Chamber (Trinidad, St. Lucia and Jamaica, February 2000).