To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the cost of supporting the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and if he will make a statement.
My hon. Friend will find detailed information about the performance of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's credit insurance activities, which are operated on a trading basis, in the Export Credits Guarantee Department's annual report and trading accounts for 1988–89. Information about the costs of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's public expenditure programmes is contained in chapter 4 of the Government's expenditure plans 1990–91 to 1992–93 (Cm. 1004).Supply Estimates provision for the net cash costs of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's operations in 1989–90 is as follows:
- Class V, vote 5 ECGD Administration £42·7 million
- Class V, vote 6 ECGD Trading Operations £473·8 million
- Class V, vote 7 ECGD Export Finance Assistance £349·9 million
The figures for votes 6 and 7 reflect revised provision sought in the spring supplementary estimates presented to the House on 13 February.