Written question asked by Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru) on Monday, 19 May 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 June 2003. It was answered by Patricia Hewitt (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 June 2003 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will publish the (a) minutes and (b) papers of the Advisory Council on the Export Credits Guarantee. - Inc ref to www.ecgd.gov.uk.

Answer: Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the (a) minutes and (b) papers of the Advisory Council on the Export Credits Guarantee. [115051] Ms Hewitt: Information about The Export Guarantees Advisory Council can be found in the public information section of the ECGD website, www.ecgd.gov.uk. This includes the minutes of previous meetings, and a list of members and their declared interests. It is often not possible to publish individual papers due to the contents being classed as "information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion", under Part II exemption 2 of "The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information". However, the Council often discusses papers that are subsequently published, for example the "Report on the Comparison of Export Credit Agencies", and the report by NERA on "Estimating the costs and benefits of ECGD".

Secondary information