§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give for the last eight quarters for which figures are available (a) volume index figures for exports, (b) volume index figures for imports, (c) value figures for exports, (d) value figures for imports, (e) sterling effective exchange rate and (f) index figures for trade competitiveness stating in each case the percentage increase or decrease since the preceding quarter.
§ Mr. DellThe information is as follows: 243W
244W
ALL PERCENTAGES ARE CHANGES ON PRECEDING QUARTER Q4/74 Q1/75 Q2/75 Q3/75 Q4/75 Q1/76 Q2/76 Q3/76 Volume Indices Balance of payments basis, seasonally adjusted Exports (1970=100) … 126.5 128.9 122.6 120.0 128.3 131.6 137.1 132.8 Percentage change … -5 +2 -5 -2 +7 +2½ +4 -3 Imports (1970=100) … 133.0 125.4 122.2 127.4 127.2 124.0 137.1 137.3 Percentage change … -2½ -5½ -2½ +4½ 0 -2½ +10½ 0 Value(£ million) Balance of payments basis, seasonally adjusted Exports … 4,187 4,531 4,479 4,632 5,126 5,420 5,992 6,134 Percentage change … -1 +8 -1 +3½ +11 +5½ +11 +2½ Imports … 5,522 5,383 5,160 5,621 5,808 5,893 7,032 7,319 Percentage change … +1 -2½ -4 +9 +3½ +1½ +19 +4 Sterling Effective Exchange Rate Percentage deviation from Smithsonian … -19.79 -21.57 -24.10 -27.36 -29.64 -31.07 -38.02 -39.71 Percentage change … -3 -2 -3 -4½ -3 -2 -10 -3 Trade Competitiveness* Index (1970=100) … 93.7 93.8 95.6 (96.7)† (98.1)† (100.0)‡ N.A. N.A. Percentage change … 0 0 +2 +1 +1½ +2 N.A. N.A. * Since this index is a ratio of export price indices for the United Kingdom and its main competitors, a decrease in the index indicates an improvement and an increase indicates a worsening. Hence positive percentage changes show decreasing competitiveness and negative ones show increasing competitiveness. † These are estimates based on 96 per cent, coverage of the component information on competitors prices. ‡ This is an estimate based on 67 per cent, coverage of the component information on competitors prices.