§ Mr. Blakerasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will include columns showing figures for private invisible trade and for Government spending in the monthly Press releases of the trade figures, so that the table produced is similar to that given on page 204 of the Report of the Bland Committee on Great Britain's invisible earnings.
101W
§ Mr. CroslandThe information on invisibles which the Bland Committee on Britain's invisible earnings suggested should be included in the tables of the monthly Press release of the trade figures is more detailed than would be appropriate for a statement concerned primarily with visible trade. There are considerable variations in invisibles in the short term and these are better commented on in the quarterly release on the balance of payments. However, there is value, as the Bland Committee suggested, in drawing attention to the regular surplus we earn over the years on the invisibles account as a whole and a reference will be included in the text of the press release for the February trade figures to be published on 13th March.