Commonwealth Countries: Trade

Lord Harrison Excerpts

Wednesday 15th February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

Yes, of course. Exports of goods from the UK to Australia—the example given by the noble Lord—were up by more than 30 per cent last year. We are certainly dealing with the European Union countries, as the noble Lord said, and with as many other countries as we can.

[Lord Harrison]

What evidence does the Minister have that the Commonwealth Business Council has been doing the job that is asked of it of promoting trade intra the Commonwealth? Will she examine the basis of how it is operating to see that what might be useful and successful is actually so?

[Baroness Wilcox]

We follow very carefully what is happening in all the organisations. I have a list of organisations to do with the Commonwealth which many Members of this House either chair, have chaired or are part of. Certainly, Commonwealth countries also make excellent springboards into other countries, so we gain not just from the countries that are in the Commonwealth but from the countries that they are close to and can give us introductions to.