§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the growth of imported manufacturers relative to the growth of exported manufactures in each year from 1954 to 1975; and how this 516W compares with the index of trade competitiveness in those years.
§ Mr. MeacherThe figures are:
Ratio of growth of imported manufactures to growth of exported manufactures* Competitiveness Index† (1970=100) 1954 … 3½:1½ n.a. 1955 … 33:10 93.1 1956 … 1½:10 94.1 1957 … 3:5½ 94.2 1958 … —3½:—2 96.7 1959 … 15:6 97.6 1960 … 35:6½ 97.5 1961 … ½:5 97.5 1962 … 1½:2½ 99.5 1963 … 9½:7 100.5 1964 … 27:5½ 100.7 1965 … 4½:8½ 102.7 1966 … 9½:7 105.0 1967 … 15:0 104.5 1968 … 33:23 98.2 1969 … 9½:16 97.9 1970 … 11:9 100.0 1971 … 9½:15 102.4 1972 … 22:5½ 102.6 1973 … 46:27 93.9 1974 … 34:31 92.9 1975 … 7½:20 96.1 * The percentage change on the previous year of imports and exports of manufactured goods respectively on an overseas trade statistics basis. † United Kingdom export prices of manufactured goods, in US dollars, as a percentage of the weighted average of our major competitors' export prices of manufactures, also expressed in dollars.