§ 71 and 72. Sir C. Osborneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what were the main factors that caused an actual adverse balance of payments of approximately £700 million in 1968 following his forecast of a surplus for that year; and what steps he is taking to prevent the same factors from affecting his forecasts for 1969;
(2) what were the balance of payments for each of the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968, respectively; what he estimates the figure will be for 1969; and what are the main factors which he expects will make the 1969 results more favourable than those for 1968.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsEstimates of the balance of payments in the years 1964–67 and in the first nine months of 1968 were published inEconomic Trends last December. An estimate for the whole of 1968—for which I have never forecast a surplus and for which I do not accept the hon. Gentleman's figure—will be published next month. On the rest of the Questions, I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to similar Questions on 28th January.