Protecting NI Exports

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Upper Bann, has asked Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster what impact the global economic downturn has had on exports from Northern Ireland to the UK.

"The Programme for Government set a target of 300 companies to export to the rest of the UK. My party questioned the over-optimism of many assumptions in the Programme for Government and I wanted to assure myself that the drive for exports had not been curtailed by the credit crunch and the global economic downturn. My Upper Bann constituency is a major industrial hub and has some strong exporting companies like Irwin's Bakery and Ulster Carpet Mills. So I am keen to see how Northern Ireland's export drive is doing."

"The Minister told me that the target for 300 businesses exporting to Great Britain related to the next three years up to 2011. The target for the current year she told me was 100 businesses, against which Invest NI has assisted 40 new businesses to date, and work is ongoing with a further 30 entrepreneurs. She also told me that a three-year target has been set for 45 new business start-ups exporting outside the UK. Against this year's target of 15 new business start-ups, Invest NI has supported seven to date, and the pipeline of prospective cases is quite healthy, with ongoing discussions involving 12 potential new businesses."

"I also asked the Minster if she had any other strategies which she could put in place in order to assist small and medium-sized businesses, which are the backbone of our economy ? She told me that a £5 million accelerated support fund offered fast-track advice and assistance to businesses which were feeling the impact of the current economic circumstances. The fund also provides companies with an opportunity to take up five days' free on-site diagnostic support. Businesses can also tap into the £5 million fund for particular projects that will help them to get over the current economic difficulties. Another £4·9 million was made available to the Carbon Trust in order to deal with energy efficiency and the Minister is said she is willing to look again at that funding stream. The nibusinessinfo.co.uk website, entitled 'Beat the Credit Crunch', also provides practical advice and guidance on managing finance and taking steps to improving efficiency"