HC Deb 17 June 1975 vol 893 cc434-8W
Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a list of trans-national commercial postage rates currently being charged by each of the postal authorities in the member States of the EEC; and if he will make a statement on the effect of these differentials on British firms involved in large scale commercial mailing within the EEC.

Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

The information is given in Col. 437–38.

PERCENTAGE INCREASE (OR DECREASE) IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR THE OECD COUNTRIES
1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
Canada 8.2 6.7 3.1 6.9 5.7 2.7 6.0 6.6 8.8 2.4
U.S.A 9.3 9.4 2.3 5.3 5.1 -4.1 Nil 8.0 9.3 -0.8
Japan 3.4 13.3 19.1 17.3 16.8 16.2 3.0 6.8 17.3 -2.3
Austria 3.7 4.5 0.9 6.8 11.9 8.5 6.0 8.5 4.3 5.0
Belgium 1.9 1.8 1.8 5.3 10.1 3.1 3.0 5.8 6.4 4.3
Finland 6.5 5.3 3.3 5.6 13.7 10.1 2.0 11.8 6.1 1.7
France 1.9 7.3 2.5 4.1 12.7 5.6 4.0 7.7 7.1 3.3
German Federal Republic 5.6 1.8 -1.7 11.4 13.4 6.3 2.0 3.9 6.6 -0.9
Greece 9.0 15.7 4.3 8.2 12.0 10.2 11.0 13.5 15.9 -2.1
Ireland 3.7 5.4 7.6 11.8 7.7 2.6 4.0 4.8 10.1 ֵ
Italy 5.0 11.3 8.5 6.3 3.7 6.4 Nil 4.0 9.6 4.4
Luxembourg 0.9 -3.6 Nil 5.7 13.4 Nil -1.0 4.0 11.7 3.5
Netherlands 5.5 6.0 4.1 11.7 11.9 10.0 6.0 4.7 6.3 2.5
Norway 5.5 5.2 4.1 4.8 5.3 4.3 4.0 4.8 5.5 3.5
Portugal 6.3 6.7 5.5 10.4 10.1 10.4 -70 21.5 -0.9 ֵ
Spain 14.4 15.0 5.5 7.8 15.1 10.5 3.0 15.5 15.1 9.5
Sweden 8.3 3.4 2.5 5.6 6.8 6.4 1.0 3.0 6.7 6.3
Switzerland 3.8 3.7 3.6 4.3 9.9 8.3 2.0 2.0 5.8 0.9
United Kingdom 2.8 1.8 Nil 5.3 3.4 1.6 Nil 2.0 7.8 -1.8
Denmark 6.2 1.7 3.3 3.6 12.0 3.1 2.6 8.5 1.3 ֵ
Australia 8.4 1.7 5.9 5.6 7.9 4.2 4.0 1.0 10.5 2.6
Sources:
OECD Industrial production Historical Statistics 1955–1971.
OECD Industrial production Quarterly supplement to MEI 1975–1.
For Denmark—IMF International Financial Statistics includes manufacturing and mining only.
For Australia—IMF International Financial Statistics includes manufacturing and electricity and gas only.
ֵ Not yet available.
Figures for Turkey, Iceland and New Zealand are not available from International sources.

INTERNATIONAL POSTAL RATES FOR LETTERS (AT THE FIRST WEIGHT STEP, WHICH COVERS APPROXIMATELY 90 PER CENT. Of BRITISH LETTERS POSTED TO EUROPE) IN THE EEC (RATES OF EXCHANGE AS AT 10TH JUNE 1975)
Belgium Denmark France Germany (Federal Republic) Irish Republic Italy Luxembourg Netherlands United Kingdom
p p p p p p p p p
Belgium 12.3 8.0 8.0 12.3 8.0 8.0 8.0 12.3
Denmark 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3
France 8.6 12.8 8.6 12.8 8.6 8.6 8.6 12.8
Germany (Federal Republic) 9.2 12.9 9.2 12.9 9.2 9.2 9.2 12.9
Irish Republic 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 7.0
Italy 6.9 10.4 6.9 6.9 10.4 6.9 6.9 10.4
Luxembourg 4.9 9.9 4.9 4.9 9.9 4.9 4.9 9.9
Netherlands 9.0 10.8 9.0 9.0 10.8 9.0 9.0 10.8
United Kingdom 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.0 8.0 8.0 8.0

INTERNATIONAL PRINTED PAPERS POSTAL RATES IN THE EEC (RATES OF EXCHANGE AS AT 10TH JUNE 1975)
United Kingdom Belgium* Denmark France Germany (Federal Republic) Irish Republic Italy Luxembourg* Netherlands*
Present Proposed
(17.3.75) (5.1.76) (15.12.74) (1.4.75) (16.9.74) (1.7.74) (1.10.74) (25.3.75) (1.3.73) (1.9.74)
p p p p p p p p p p
Printed Papers (full rate)
20g 5.0 6.0 6.2 5.5 7.5 5.5 5.0 4.9 5.4
50g 7.0 8.0 8.6 7.8 9.7 9.2 6.0 3.5 6.2 7.2
l00g 8.5 10.0 9.9 7.8 12.9 11.0 8.0 4.5 7.4 9.0
250g 11.0 16.0 12.312.7 24.8 12.9 11.0 6.9 12.3 12.5
500g 19.0 28.0 22.2 22.2 33.4 22.1 18.0 12.1 22.2 22.4
1000g 32.0 48.0 38.2 37.2 53.8 38.6 30.0 20.7 37.0 37.6
2,000g 54.0 80.0 64.1 63.3 75.3 62.5 50.0 34.5 61.7 62.7
Printed Papers (reduced rate)
20g 4.0 5.0 3.7 3.2 3.8 N.A. 2.5 2.7
50g 5.0 6.0 4.9 4.8 4.8 5.5 4.0 N.A. 3.1 3.6
100g 6.0 7.0 6.2 4.8 6.5 5.5 5.0 N.A. 3.7 4.5
250g 8.5 11.0 8.6 7.8 12.47.4 7.0 N.A. 6.2 6.3
500g 15.0 20.0 12.3 13.5 16.7 11.0 12.0 N.A. 11.1 11.2
1,000g 27.0 35.0 22.2 22.2 26.9 20.3 22.0 N.A. 18.5 18.8
2,000g 48.0 65.0 37.0 38.0 37.7 31.3 40.0 N.A. 30.8 31.4
* It is understood that the Benelux countries apply reciprocally, lower rates than those given in the table.
The Post Office informs me that it has no evidence that these differences, even where they are adverse, are impeding the efforts of British exporters.