HC Deb 12 February 2004 vol 417 cc1614-5W
Mr. Arbuthnot

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how her Department(a) encourages and (b) assists UK businesses to export. [153865]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

A key role of UK Trade and Investment (formerly British Trade International)—a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry—is to present the benefits of internationalising business as well as equipping firms with the information and capabilities to fulfil their export potential. UKTI encourages and assists business by offering a range of services to companies, details of which are contained in its current Departmental Report issued in May 2003 (Cm 5915). UKTI's Departmental Report for 2003–04 will be issued in April 2004. Copies of Departmental Reports are laid in the Libraries of the House.