Select Committee on Trade and Industry Minutes of Evidence


Examination of Witnesses (Questions 240 - 241)

TUESDAY 20 APRIL 2004 (Morning)

SOCIETY OF BRITISH AEROSPACE COMPANIES

  Q240  Judy Mallaber: Are there no advantages in this case of ECGD being involved in negotiating that international agreement? Surely it can be helpful that, in a situation like that, we are in advance because it can mean that our ECGD is in a position to try to level the playing field over issues like those standards.

  Ms Walton: We have always been very supportive of a multilateral and multinational approach to these issues. What we find a little more difficult to deal with is when ECGD is leading by example and leaving UK industry at a disadvantage for a period of time. We are absolutely supportive of multilateral and multinational change but unilateral disarmament, if you like, is not something that is going to win a lot of support from industry nor indeed from our customers.

  Q241  Judy Mallaber: Does not someone have to take the lead?

  Ms Walton: We would like to see everybody hold hands and move together!

  Chairman: Thank you very much for your evidence today. I think you are going to send us some additional information and we would be grateful for that. The Committee will resume again at 3.15 this afternoon.





 
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