asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if the limit for export credit guarantees has been reached in the case of Rumania.

No, Sir.

Since Rumania is showing a rather dissident attitude towards Comecon and is interested in trade with the West, particularly in heavy industrial goods including an atomic reactor, can the Minister assure us that industrialists will not be hamstrung in this market by the lack of suitable credit facilities, and is not this aspect of the matter particularly important in view of the recently concluded agreement between the United States and Rumania?

The factual position is that cover clearly cannot be unlimited in respect of these markets. There is, however, plenty of room to accommodate new business, and we are certainly hopeful that business will ensue.