A tough struggle in the battle for British exports was forecast by an econoniic survey issued by the Organisation for licononic Cooperation and Develop nent in Paris on August 13th, The 0.2.C.D. pointed out that unless "an inportan” brealtthrough" was made in the field of exports, it would be difficult for Britain to achieve the government's target of an industrial growth rate of 4% a year.
The survey held that British exports had not done well since the war because of their lack of competitiveness in price, dolivery dates, aggressive selling and servicing, The latest available statistics show that Britain's share of the world trade had dropped from 21% in 1953 to just over 15% last year.
It stated that Britain's problens would be made nore difficult by the development and competition of the Common Market. The survey doubted whether the problons raised in connection with the retraining of redundant workers would be mot. It pointed out that the total number of redundancies oach yoar in Britain was perhaps 200,000, tut that the annual intake of governnent retraining schemes ‘, was at present only about 6,000, Government plans to build adiitional training cemtres for another 6,000 would still be wefully inadequate.
The report backs the government's efforts through N.I.C. to slow the rate of wages increase, saying, givon “a proper relation between output and incomes," British exports should be able to benefit progressively from the faster rate of productivity. Tho Guardian city correspondent draws the conclusion that the 0,.5.C.D. is saying that an incomes policy is tho key. He fails to montion that the same advice is given to all capitalist governments to improve their position in relation to other competitpers