To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the prospects for British exports to eastern Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Prospects for British exports to eastern Europe vary from country to country and from industrial sector to industrial sector. Valuable opportunities for trade and investment exist in many sectors, including food processing and packaging, health care and medical equipment, computers, control equipment and office equipment. However, exports are limited by the lack of hard currency available and by competition from other major western suppliers. It is important that United Kingdom companies with the patience and persistence to tackle these markets should keep a high profile and be ready to seize new opportunities as they arise. This is particularly true at present in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the German Democratic Republic, as they leave the command economy behind them. United Kingdom companies should also take into consideration the various aid and multilateral investment funds available for economic reconstruction.