HC Deb 10 December 1959 vol 615 cc730-1
26. Mr. Wyatt

asked the President of the Board of Trade the British share of the world's exports of manufactured goods in the third quarter of 1959; and how this compares with the corresponding figures for 1950 and 1955.

Mr. Erroll

The United Kingdom's share of exports of manufactured goods from the main manufacturing countries was 25.6 per cent. in 1950, 19.7 per cent. in 1955 and 16.8 per cent. in the third quarter of 1959.

Mr. Wyatt

Is the Minister aware that while this disgraceful drop has been going on in the British share of world manufactured goods exports the West German share has increased from about 7 per cent., to 19.3 per cent., and has therefore now overtaken our share, and that other competitors are rapidly overhauling us, including the Japanese? Is it not time the Government stopped telling everybody how good everything is and began to do something about capital investment and increasing our export drive?

Mr. Erroll

The point is that our exports are doing very well. It is just a question whether one takes percentages, as does the hon. Gentleman, or the total figures, which I will now give to the House. Our exports totalled £2,160 million in 1950; £2,872 million in 1955 and, over the first ten months of 1959, they are running at an annual rate of about £3,277 million.

Mr. Burden

Is it not evident that under a Conservative Government the volume of our exports has been far better than was anticipated by the right hon. Gentleman who was formerly Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government, who said, in 1951, that we had to expect that in the following year our exports would only just pay for our imports? Is it not clear that with a continuation of that Government our share of exports would have declined disastrously?

Mr. Wyatt

Does not the Minister realise how dangerous this complacency is, in which he regards a continuing fall in our share of world exports as not mattering at all? When the West Germans have Overtaken us and the Japanese are beginning to overtake us does he really think that it is quite all right?

Mr. Erroll

It is not a case of whether I think it is quite all right. The purpose of exporting is to get export earnings to cover our commitments, and not to achieve some percentage, higher or lower, of world exports.

Mr. Jay

Can we be given these figures in terms of the volume of goods?

Mr. Erroll

I should be glad to do that if the right hon. Gentleman would put down a Question.