HC Deb 26 July 1962 vol 663 cc1705-6
8. Sir L. Plummer

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of imports from Commonwealth countries enter the United Kingdom duty free, distinguishing manufactured goods, raw materials and agricultural products.

Mr. Erroll

Over 99 per cent. of manufactured goods and raw materials and 100 per cent. of agricultural products enter this country from the Commonwealth free of protective duty.

Sir L. Plummer

Will the President of the Board of Trade have a conversation with his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and ask whether he will have a revised edition of the booklet "Britain and the European Communities" containing information of that kind, so that those of us who read these documents could get the true facts?

Mr. Erroll

If a revised edition should be prepared, we will, of course, take into account suggestions made by hon. Members.

9. Sir L. Plummer

asked the President of the Board of Trade the totals of United Kingdom exports in 1960 and 1961 to Commonwealth, European Free Trade Association and European Economic Community countries, respectively, referred to in the publication Britain and the European Communities.

Mr. Erroll

To enable comparisons on an identical basis to be made with trade by other countries the 1960 figures for United Kingdom trade in the publication Britain and the European Communities are the imports (c.i.f.) of the receiving countries. I regret that equivalent figures for 1961 are not yet available. Information about United Kingdom exports and re-exports (f.o.b.) in 1960 and 1961, is, however, available from the December, 1961, issue of the Trade and Navigation Accounts.

Sir L. Plummer

I am sorry to press the Minister again, but, once more, does he not agree that this is an example of where this publication evades the important points and that up-to-date statistics should have been included instead of vague references being made?

Mr. Erroll

I am sorry that my Answer inevitably bad to be rather complicated. I think, however, that when the hon. Member studies it a little more carefully he will see that it is the very thing that we have been trying to do, namely, to be fair and to provide a comparable basis for comparisons of figures and not to give one-sided figures which might appear to distort the picture.