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But he needed help when dealing with governments. HMG should devise new rules covering government help for exporters that would give British business competitive advantage. He did not favour trading on a 35% discount basis but he thought that a £100 million ATP budget for a major trading nation was far too small. Aid was another valuable lever which in our case was too small. Because of lack of British Government support, Babcock had chosen in some cases (eg exports to Korea) to work through their German subsidiaries.
3. Mr Hartigan (BP) and several others stressed the vital government role of identifying and educating potential future decision-makers. The Japanese did this on a vast scale and were reaping the dividends. In contrast, our decision to raise foreign students' fees had been very damaging. HMG could also help by encouraging and coordinating industry's own efforts to second and train foreign students.
4. Mr Barlow (Coopers and Lybrand), who will be attending the Heads of Mission Conference, suggested that HMG should be more selective in its support for British exporters. The US and French Governments sponsored particular companies bidding for individual contracts, and were therefore able to concentrate their support, whereas HMG felt obliged to offer equal services to any British company in the field. However, Lord Limerick (Pirelli UK) pointed out that such an approach might cause difficulties since, unlike France and the US, British Ministers had to answer to MPS with constituency interests. Mr Barlow also suggested that HMG should concentrate on priority markets and sectors, although discussion quickly revealed that it would be hard to reach agreement on what the priorities should be. Lord Caithness asked whether large established exporters as well as small/medium firms needed government help to export. round the table thought that they did. Putting the boot on the other foot, Sir Peter Parker (Japan Festival) queried whether British embassies were not wasting their time servicing visits by municipal chambers of commerce
Those
("Wolverhampton Wanderers") most of whose members he suspected were looking for freebies rather than markets.
5.
Sir Peter thought that British embassies had a role to play in identifying key contacts in commerce and government, making introductions, providing local advice, and lending a sympathetic ear. He thought that the commercial service embassies provided had improved immensely over the last 10/15 years. Others agreed. Lord Limerick thought the creation of the Joint Directorate was a step in the right direction. Closer cooperation between the DTI and FCO was essential. This dinner was the first occasion he had sat down with both DTI and FCO officials present to discuss the Pacific Rim. hoped it would not be the last such occasion. Others agreed.
/Sir Peter
He
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