Ambassadors for British Business (Hansard, 18 March 1999)

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits undertaken by each business ambassador. [77341]
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§ Mr. Fatchett
The Ambassadors for British Business have participated in more than 120 events in 35 countries. The visits undertaken by each of the Ambassadors for British Business are listed.
Sir Christopher Benson—Albright and Wilson plc India—February 1999
Sir John Browne—BP Amoco Kuwait—June 1998
Allan Gormly—BPB plc Brazil—March 1999
Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge—British Airways plc

Malta—March 1997

Peru—December 1997

Italy—March 1998

USA—March 1998

USA—June 1998

Switzerland—September 1998

USA—September 1998

USA—November 1998

USA—January 1999

India—February 1999

Hong Kong—March 1999

Tony Pedder—British Steel plc

India—February 1998

Turkey—July 1998

Taiwan—October 1998

Turkey—November 1998

Sir lain Vallance—British Telecommunications (BT)

Germany—April 1998

France—May 1998

China—June 1998

Spain—September 1998

Lord Paul—Caparo Group Ltd.

India—December 1997

Nepal—January 1998

USA—January 1998

India—May 1998

Germany—September 1998

Finland—September 1998

USA—October 1998

Bangladesh—December 1998

India—January 1999

Turkey—March 1999

Hong Kong—March 1999

India—March 1999

Adair Turner—CBI

Austria—January 1998

Brazil—September 1998

Egypt—October 1998

USA—March 1999

Sir David Alliance—Coats Viyella

Israel—May 1998

USA—November 1998
Sir Colin Southgate—EMI Group plc Czech Republic—October 1998
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Martin Sorrell—WPP Group plc
Japan—February 1998

USA—April 1998

Brazil—April 1998

Egypt—May 1998

USA—October 1998.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cost to public funds of the business ambassador scheme. [77342]

§ Mr. Fatchett
The Ambassadors for British Business meet their own travel and accommodation costs on their overseas trips. There are some administrative costs to the department in staff time and for the initial meeting and follow up reception in London. In addition our Ambassadors at overseas posts sometimes make use of their entertainment budgets to host an event in connection with the scheme.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many business ambassadors there are currently. [77340]

§ Mr. Fatchett
There are currently 36 Ambassadors for British Business. They include the Chairman or Chief Executive of some of Britain's largest and internationally successful companies and represent a wide cross-section of the British private sector.

§ Mr. Maclean
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the role of Ambassadors for British Business will change following the creation of British Trade International; and what changes there have been in the list of these ambassadors in the past year. [77551]

§ Mr. Fatchett
The Ambassadors for British Business scheme will be administered by British Trade International. There will be no change in the role of the Ambassadors for British Business.
There have been two deletions to the list during the past year; Mr. James Leek, McLeod Russel Holdings plc, in June 1998 and Lord Sainsbury in July 1998 when he became a member of the Government.