asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress the Location of Offices Bureau has made with the remit announced in 1977 to attract overseas firms to the United Kingdom.

The bureau has carried out some exploratory and initial promotional work including a visit by the chairman to the United States. Immediate further progress awaits completion of investigations of the adequacy of the powers under which the bureau operates and which derive from an Act of 1943. I hope to make a further statement on this in due course.