THE organisation behind more than half of Scotland's annual

international trade missions yesterday launched its largest overseas

programme at a news conference in Glasgow -- amid fears that it will

prove to be its swansong.

Strathclyde Business Development has confirmed that its future is in

doubt because of local government reorganisation.

It also warned that plans to take part in major foreign exhibitions

and drum up business for local companies after March, 1996, will fall --

unless it is guaranteed survival by October at the latest.

More than half SBD's annual #20m budget comes from Strathclyde

Regional Council, which will cease to exist next year.

Yesterday SBD officials announced that more than 30 missions to

Europe, North America and the Far East are planned in the next 12

months.

Officials argued that, after 15 years of helping companies put down

business roots abroad, the SBD must be preserved particularly when it is

creating more and more contacts in key, foreign markets.

However, it was acknowledged some of the larger new unitary

authorities may want to control their own economic development

programmes.

It was also conceded some of the smaller authorities, with little or

no industry in their areas, may be unwilling to finance an organisation

which would offer them a mimimal direct return.

The SBD is relying on its record of returns of #18.50 for every #1

spent in the international arena as an argument for its retention. Its

missions last year brought #14.8m worth of direct orders for Strathclyde

firms, with millions more raised indirectly.

SBD director Mr Garrath Le Sueur, said that he was confident the

87-strong economic arm of Strathclyde Region will continue, albeit under

a different name, after local government reorganisation.

He was optimistic that crucial support will come from Scottish Trade

International in the summer when it publishes a long-term strategy for

economic development.

Mr Le Sueur predicted the STI, which is backed by the Scottish Office

and Scottish Enterprise, will recognise Strathclyde's contribution to

winning international trade and want it to continue.

Councillor Joseph McLean, Strathclyde's economic and industrial

committee chairman, was also confident that new councils will heed

advice that the SBD's positive strategy in export drives must be

retained.

More than 200 Strathclyde companies will take part in the 30 overseas

missions to 18 countries -- including Vietnam and China, and a first to

Sri Lanka.

The SBD, which has helped more than 1000 companies reach new markets,

is also playing host to American, Chinese, French and German inward

missions to Strathclyde later this year.