HC Deb 26 November 1987 vol 123 cc374-5
21. Mr. Michael Brown

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of United Kingdom manufactured exports since 1981.

Mr. Major

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis).

Mr. Brown

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply, but sadly I was unable to hear his earlier answer. Can I assume that in his answer he was able to tell my hon. Friend that great strides have been made towards increasing the level of exports of manufacturing industry in Britain?

Mr. Major

My hon. Friend will be sorry that he missed the earlier answer. The increase was 35 per cent.

Mr. Winnick

Can the Chief Secretary tell us when the level of unemployment will be the same as it was in May 1979?

Mr. Major

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is not satisfied that unemployment is now falling at a very substantial rate. If the Government were to follow the policies of the Opposition, unemployment would be rocketing upwards.