Examination of Witnesses (Questions 140-144)
CBI
1 APRIL 2008
Q140 Chairman: Are there any more
comments that you want to make on the structure of what it should
be like? How would you like the government to structure this forum?
Mr Campkin: Pauline might have
some thoughts but in general terms I think the key thing is that
any structure takes effective input from the business community
and provides a way for the business community to continue to highlight
the difficulties that exist, and indeed find ways of delivering
effective results. As you know from our previous evidence, we
are not greatly supportive of talk shops.
Ms Shearman: To add I think it
rather depends on the level of business that the UK has with Turkey.
Clearly it will not be warranted, I do not think, necessarily
by the current volume but if we are looking towards the future
to increase that share quite considerably then that is a possibility.
Q141 Chairman: I will ask the question
I was going to ask first. I got the impression while we were in
Turkey talking to business people that there is a huge reservoir
of goodwill towards the UK and UK businesses, which is not shown
in every market. I think the political situation, the UK is perceived
as a good political friend to Turkey as well as a potential economic
trading partner. So do you share my instinctive view that actually
there are some very real opportunities for the UK which might
even have a comparative advantage with other economies?
Ms Shearman: Definitely and I
think quite a number of senior Turks in companies and even in
government have been educated either in the UK or in the US and
who are very favourable towards the UK. But I think any dialogue
that exists has to reflect the volume of business that is actually
being done in both directions.
Q142 Chairman: I think that is a
valid comment. It is a way of asking my last question in a sense
because it sums up all the evidence so far, unless there is anything
else you want to say. If this government-to-government forum is
established because there is a judgment that it is worth doing,
what are the top three issues it should address?
Mr Campkin: At the risk of being
somewhat repetitive—
Q143 Chairman: Repetition is always
good—you make your point by repeating.
Mr Campkin: Certainly at the top
of the list is the legal enforcement of existing obligations,
I have no doubt at all about that. Secondly would be to look at
ways of enhancing the reform process which takes forward the process
of creating a better economic circumstance in Turkey from which
British companies can benefit. Pauline, do you have a third one?
Q144 Chairman: You do not have to
have three, two is fine. Is there anything else you feel that
we have not talked about in this evidence session and that you
would have liked to comment on?
Ms Shearman: Clearly I met with
the Turkish-British Business Council yesterday from whom you will
be hearing next, but I think one of the key areas—and this
fits into the idea of whether there should be a government-to-government
forum—is that we have to ensure, first of all, that if we
are going to do that we get commitment from government and that
ministers will be available to do it, and that company people
at senior level are committed enough to take part in it because
Turkey is a country where status is very much observed, and the
protocol, and it would be very difficult if we were to undertake
to start this arrangement and then find that we cannot actually
get the level of support that we require.
Chairman: Thank you very much. You have
promised us one or two things which we have made a note of and
our staff will be in touch about to make sure it works. I am very
grateful for your evidence. Can I also apologise publicly to our
next witnesses. I am afraid that competing Committee business
means that I have to go elsewhere to do some other business but
Mr Lindsay Hoyle will take the chair for the Turkish-British Council
and I will look with interest at the transcripts. I am very sorry;
there is no discourtesy intended but sometimes you cannot be in
two places at the same time. Thank you very much indeed to the
CBI.
| 
