36. Mr. Vaneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the dollar expenditure on oil during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1957, compared with the previous year.
§ Mr. BirchFigures to the end of March are not yet available. About £50 million more was spent on oil in United States dollars in the twelve months up to the end of February than in the previous twelve months. This is a gross figure and represents only one of the ways in which oil purchases affect the balance of payments.
37. Mr. Vaneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which main items of dollar expenditure showed an appreciable increase and which an appreciable decrease during the financial year 1956–57.
§ Mr. BirchI regret that figures for the financial years are not available. Figures for the calendar years 1955 and 1956 will be found in the White Paper on the Balance of Payments, Cmnd. 122, issued on 4th April.