HC Deb 13 June 2003 vol 406 cc250-3W
Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the Departments budget was spent in the latest 12 months for which figures are available on the promotion overseas of trade with the UK; and if he will break down spending in each(a) embassy and (b) high commission. [115968]

Mr. Rammell

The latest figures for funding for Trade Partners UK, the trade development arm of British Trade International, is as follows.

£ millions
2001–02 Outturn
Programme 60
Administration Costs
DTI 28
FCO 123
Capital
DTI 0
FCO 1

The information is not available broken down by Embassy and High Commission, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Departments staff at each(a) embassy and (b) high commission have responsibilities which are primarily the promotion of trade with the UK. [115969]

Mr. Rammell

The number of staff (expressed in full time equivalents) whose responsibilities are the achievement of BTI objectives in overseas markets is as follows:

Country Total (full time equivalent)
Africa
Angola 4
Botswana 1
Cameroon 1
Cote Dlvore 2
Ethiopia 2
Ghana 6
Kenya 6
Madagascar 1
Malawi 1
Mali 1
Mauritius 2
Mozambique 3
Namibia 1
Nigeria 19
Rwanda 1
Senegal 2
Seychelles 1
Sierra Leone 1
South Africa 32
Tanzania 5
Uganda 3
Zambia 1
Zimbabwe 3
Americas
Antigua 1
Argentina 8
Bahamas 1
Barbados 4
Belize 1
Bolivia 2
Brazil 54
Canada 36
Chile 8
Colombia 7
Costa Rica 3
Cuba 3
Dominican Republic 2
Ecuador 4
El Salvador 2
Country Total (full time equivalent)
Guatemala 2
Guyana 2
Honduras 1
Jamaica 4
Mexico 23
Nicaragua 1
Panama 2
Paraguay 3
Peru 7
St. Lucia 1
Trinidad 5
Uruguay 2
USA 145
Venezuela 8
North Asia/Pacific
Australia 33
China 60
Fiji 2
Hong Kong 22
Japan 68
Mongolia 1
New Zealand 10
South Korea 20
Taiwan 21
Europe
Albania 1
Armenia 3
Austria 7
Azerbaijan 4
Belarus 1
Belgium and Luxembourg 17
Bosnia 3
Bulgaria 5
Croatia 4
Cyprus 5
Cz. Republic 12
Denmark 13
Estonia 3
Finland 12
France 50
Georgia 3
Germany 63
Greece 12
Hungary 14
Iceland 3
Ireland 13
Italy 33
Kazakhstan 4
Latvia 4
Lithuania 3
Macedonia 2
Malta 3
Netherlands 11
Norway 16
Poland 20
Portugal 15
Romania 9
Russia 15
Slovakia 4
Slovenia 5
Spain 32
Sweden 19
Switzerland 15
Turkey 19
Turkmenistan 3
Ukraine 4
Uzbekistan 2
Yugoslavia 5
Middle East and North Africa
Algiers 1
Bahrain 5
Country Total (full time equivalent)
Egypt 15
Iran 8
Israel 8
Jerusalem 2
Jordan 7
Kuwait 7
Lebanon 4
Libya 7
Morocco 8
Oman 6
Qatar 8
Saudi Arabia 22
Sudan 2
Syria 8
Tunisia 4
UAE 22
Yemen 4
South and South East Asia
Bangladesh 8
Brunei 2
Cambodia 1
India 79
Indonesia 13
Laos 1
Malaysia 21
Nepal 1
Pakistan 15
Papua New Guinea 1
Philippines 11
Singapore 20
Sri Lanka 7
Thailand 15
Vietnam 12
Grand total 1,524

British Trade Internationals remit covers both trade development and promotion and inward investment, and it is riot possible to separate fully the two strands.

The information was current at April 2003.

The data include FCO UK-based staff and local staff recruited in-market. Distribution of staff numbers across the network changes over time to reflect the requirements of UK business.

Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in the priorities for promoting trade at UK embassies and high commissions since 1997. [115970]

Mr. Rammell

Improving business competitiveness through international trade and investment is an important element of the FCOs work, reflected in its Public Service Agreement Objectives. British Trade International was established in 1999 to bring together the trade promotion activities of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its priorities and activities are reported annually in its Departmental Report, the latest of which was published on 16 May 2003, Cm 5915.