THE INDUSTRY AND TRADE COMMITTEE
35
7 July 1982]
MR G T CHEcketts, Mr R T Fox, MR P J GODdard and MR A G B YOUNG
[Continued
0
Examination of witnesses
MR GT CHECKETTS (Managing Director, Hawker Siddeley (International) and Member of BOTB), Chairman, MR R T Fox (Director, Kleinwort Benson), MR P J GODDARD (Chairman, Halcrow-ULG) and MR À G B YOUNG (Director, Arbuthnot Letham), of the South East Asia Trade Advisory Group, called in and examined.
Chairman
99. At the beginning of our inquiry into United Kingdom trade with ASEAN coun- tries we are very pleased to welcome repre- sentatives of one of the British Overseas Trade Board's advisory groups. While we have had useful contacts with your col- leagues in similar groups, this is the first occasion on which representatives have given formal evidence to us. We look forward to learning from your experience about what concerns British businessmen in South East Asia. May I just enquire about your own position? Are you a South East Asia export advisory group or are you really involved in two-way trade.
(Mr Checketts.) We are trade, Chairmen.
100. Two-way trade?
(Mr Checketts.) Of course
- with very much an emphasis on British exports.
101. Tell us what is the membership of SEATAG. How do you relate to the British Overseas Trade Board? How many mem- bers are there?
(Mr Checketts.) We are one of the 16 trade advisory groups within the BOTB and we are structured rather like the BOTB itself in that we have a mix of members from the public and private sectors — offi- cials from the FCO, Department of Trade, ECGD and so on, and then private indus- trial members, banking members, chambers of commerce, a very wide spread of experi- ence in the area.
102. Roughly about how many mem- bers?
(Mr_Checketts.) Some 20 to 22 some- thing of that sort. They vary up and down.
103. i supoose they are in and out
constantly?
(Mr Checketts.) It is a three-year term for the Chairman too, I may say.
104. In your memorandum on page 10 you say that "Selected members of SEA- TAG have been able to support and accom- pany UK Ministers on overseas visits but on future occasions there is scope for fuller consultations with the full SEÅTAG mem-
bership who would welcome the opportu- nity to provide specific points for the Minister's Brief." Tell us how the consult- ation procedure is deficient now.
(Mr Checketts.) I would like to support Minister Rees' statement that his door is open: certainly it is. What we would like is a little more advanced notice of travel by Ministers so that we consult not only the member of SEATAG or any other group travelling with the Minister, but the whole membership who would certainly have an input of their own to make and, if we were asked questions, we would answer them. So there should be a questionnaire or some sort of input from the Department of Trade in good time so that the whole membership could be consulted rather than just the member travelling with the Minister.
105. He will have the opportunity of reading that in some few days. Are there any other points on which you would wish the present procedure to be expanded?
(Mr Checketts.) No. If we have greater information about this in good time we will have a better opportunity of contributing to the travel.
Mr Crowther
106. Have you already told the Minister this? If not, why not? When I asked the Minister if you had made representations to him on the way you felt this fuller consula- tion could be achieved he seemed rather doubtful and was not quite sure. I am now asking you if you can say why you waited to tell the Select Committee?
(Mr Checketts.) The honour of being here has stimulated the thought. (Chairman.) May we now turn to the growth of the ASEAN market. Mr Max- well- Hyslop?
Mr Maxwell-Hyslop
107. Why do you think this is likely to continue in a manner disparate from the world economy as a whole?
(Mr Checketts.) You have an area of massive resources "massive" is a school essay word, I know, but you have an area of 350 million people. You have resources of