asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department are available for exports to agencies of any Government unrecognised or regarded as illegal by Her Majesty's Government and, if not, what criteria are applied by ECGD to exports to such agencies.

The facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department are available in principle to support British trade wherever this can be conducted on a sound commercial and legal basis. Thus, for example, ECGD cover is available for exports to agencies of the Government of the Transkei at the present time subject to the Department's normal underwriting criteria. However, ECGD facilities are not available in respect of illegal trade with Rhodesia.