Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna says Coalition export efforts 'failed'

Exclusive: The shadow Business Secretary claims 'government scheme after government scheme which was supposed to help firms export has failed to deliver the goods'

Mr Umunna said one parliamentary answer showed that the Government did not even keep a record of trade missions led or attended by ministers. (PA)

The shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, has taken aim at the Coalition Government’s “record of failure” on exports in a late effort to win over the business vote ahead of next week’s election.

Chronicling a series of alleged failures on export finance schemes and trade missions, Mr Umunna said “government scheme after government scheme which was supposed to help firms export has failed to deliver the goods or fallen by the wayside”, despite promises from the Coalition to deliver an export-led recovery.

Labour’s dossier, compiled from a range of parliamentary answers this year, shows that of more than 50 government-appointed business ambassadors, who include the likes of WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell and former BAE Systems chairman Sir Dick Olver, only Havana Energy’s chairman Brian Wilson has led any trade missions since January 2014.

Just one firm – construction group Carillion on a contract in Dubai – has used the much-trumpeted Direct Funding Facility, while what Labour calls a “tiny” and “falling” number of small businesses – down from 287 in May to 119 in December – are using the Passport to Export scheme to get going in international trade.

Mr Umunna said one parliamentary answer showed that the Government did not even keep a record of trade missions led or attended by ministers.

A Lib Dem spokeswoman said: “This is increasingly desperate stuff from the Labour Party, who are in denial about the economic recovery”. She said exports of goods had risen 14 per cent during the Parliament “despite a tough economic climate with our largest trading partner, the eurozone, falling off a cliff”.