HC Deb 01 April 1969 vol 781 cc210-1
9. Mr. Brooks

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the movement of the terms of trade between 1964 and 1968 in relation to each of the countries in the Commonwealth in receipt of British aid.

Mr. Prentice

Data are not immediately available for the terms of trade of developing Commonwealth countries with the United Kingdom and it would take several weeks to compile them. I am publishing a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT which shows the available figures relating to the global terms of trade of certain developing Commonwealth countries and of certain regions. I regret that the information supplied is somewhat fragmentary, but many developing countries do not construct price indices for their exports and imports.

Mr. Brooks

While appreciating the difficulties and expressing gratitude to my right hon. Friend for providing such information as is available, may I ask whether he does not agree that it is important that the strategy of British overseas aid should take into account the vulnerability of many countries to adverse movements of the terms of trade, which can often neutralise the benefits of aid programmes?

Mr. Prentice

Yes, Sir. This is one of the many factors which we take into account. Going beyond that, it is clear that both the right trade policies and the right aid policies are needed side by side for successful development.

Following is the information:

TERMS OF TRADE
(Unit value of exports divided by unit value of imports)
1964=100
1964 1965 1966 1967 1968
Commonwealth Countries:
Ceylon 100 106 111 101 93*
Cyprus 100 105 122 115 N.A.
India 100 103 106 103 102†
Zambia 100 110 165 152 N.A.
Ghana 100 73 82 86 N.A.
Jamaica 94 110 100 90 90
West Malaysia 113 104 100 119 103
Pakistan 140 103 100 111 122
Fiji 79 98 100 81 83
Kenya 100 99 100 104 99
Mauritius 94 119 100 81 86
Nigeria 102 101 100 98 N.A.
Tanzania 103 108 100 87 N.A.
Uganda 92 84 100 93 N.A.
Developing/Developed Areas 100 96 96 93 N.A.
Latin America 100 97 100 97 97†
Developing Africa 100 97 101 100 103†
Developing Asia 100 100 100 100 100†
Western Asia 100 98 99 99 N.A.
Southern and Eastern Asia 100 100 101 100 100†
*January-March, 1968.
†January-June, 1968.