HC Deb 20 July 1961 vol 644 cc149-51W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form the percentage of their total production and the value exported of the main industries for the years 1929, 1939, 1946, 1950 and on the latest convenient date.

Mr. Maudling

Figures of the value of production are not available for the years requested. The following table shows figures of the total gross value of production for major groups of industries in respect of the nearest years for which Census of Production statistics are available; the values of United Kingdom exports of relevant commodities are also shown.

£m
Main industries Total Production U.K. Exports
Chemicals and allied industries
1930 200 35
1935 215 30
1948 760 120
1954 1,690 290
1958 2,270 360
Metal manufacture
1930 215 65
1935 250 50
1948 970 160
1954 1,880 195
1958 2,320 280
Engineering and allied industries
1930 660 125
1935 750 90
1948 3,060 625
1954 5,630 1,190
1958 7,380 1,570
Textiles, leather and clothing
1930 710 175
1935 720 125
1948 1,970 345
1954 2,930 385
1958 2,770 315

The figures of production are aggregates of gross outputs of firms with no deductions made for the double-counting of components and semi-manufactured goods produced by one manufacturer and incorporated in the products of another. The figures for 1958 are on a different basis from those for earlier years as a result of the reclassification of firms in that year. Figures for all years contain estimates for firms not making returns or making unsatisfactory returns.

The export figures relate to commodities mainly produced in the industries specified. Figures for 1930, 1935, and 1948 have been estimated and are not directly comparable with later years. Because of the differences between the two series the export figures cannot be related directly to the figures of production; the duplication in the latter tends to make the ratio between the two sets of figures understate the export performance of broad sectors of industry.