Mr Watson agreed that for very large overseas projects more than one UK bid could be made but contended that in some cases competition between UK firms could be damaging to them both. HMG could only attempt to encourage the submission of one bid since it had no power to prevent more than one interested party from putting in an offer. It would obviously be in GKN's interest to consult with OPG and other parts of DTI when "Decision points" were reached in any overseas project. Mr Glaves-Smith said that there would be moves over the next decade towards harmonisa- tion of export credit policies within the EEC but this would be no easy matter since it would entail integration of monetary matters, budgets, etc. Meanwhile each case would have to be considered carefully in the national interest obviously if two competing UK bidders were considered to be of equal merit HMG would have to support both. As far as selectivity between competing UK bidders was concerned the advice of the Advisory Panel, about to be set up by the BOTB, could be sought.
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T F BROWN
OPG
1 June 1973.
c.c.
C.C.
Mr.K. Cotterill (ECGA)
Mr. Aston (British Trade Commission, Hong Kong) Miss C.H. Welch (CRE).
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