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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Chope: To 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) Mexico, (b) Morocco, (c) Mozambique and (d) Namibia; and what future trade delegations are planned. [76547] Mr. Wilson: (a) The last Government Minister to lead a trade delegation to Mexico was Lord Laing of Dunphail when President of the Board of Trade in October 1996. I will be taking a trade delegation in June this year. Other trade missions planned are as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Month/Year May 1999 General trade mission led by Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce September 1999 Healthcare mission led by London Chamber of Commerce October 1999 General trade mission led by the Latin America Trade Advisory Board November 1999 General trade mission led by the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (b) The last Ministerially-led trade delegation to visit Morocco was in December 1997 (a water mission led by the Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) the then Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Two trade missions to Morocco are planned: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Month/Year September 1999 Business Link, Barnsley March 2000 Nottingham Chamber of Commerce _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (c) There have not been any Ministerially-led missions to Mozambique. There are plans for three trade missions to visit Mozambique: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Month/Year February 2000 Business Link, Gloucestershire February 2000 British Water Date to be announced London Chamber of Commerce _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (d) My hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) when Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry, led a delegation to the Southern Africa Trade and Investment Conference held in Namibia between 24 and 27 July 1998. There is a trade mission in Namibia at present. No others are planned.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

76547; 327 c592-3W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Ministers Namibia Mozambique Morocco Mexico Trade missions