HC Deb 08 February 1977 vol 925 cc661-2W
Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which commercial treaties and agreements are at present in force to provide for commercial arrangements between the United Kingdom and each of the members of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Mr. Meacher

While we have air services, investment protection and double taxation agreements with some or all of the ASEAN countries, no commercial treaties or agreements of general application are in force.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will provide figures to show British imports from and British exports to each of the members of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, for each year from 1973 to the present.

Mr. Meacher

Information for years 1973 to 1975 is published in Tables 322 and 323 of the "Annual Abstract of Statistics 1976", and for 1976 in Table IB of the December 1976 issue of the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom". Both publications are available in the House of Commons Library.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total value of contracts underwritten through the Export Credits Guarantee scheme to each of the members of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, since 1973.

Mr. Meacher

It is not the practice to disclose figures of the proportion of United Kingdom exports to particular markets covered by ECGD or ECGD's commitments in individual markets. ECGD's amount at risk for this group of markets as a whole is at present approximately £395 million.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will estimate the value of British investments in each of the member countries of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, at the present time.

Mr. Meacher

The information available relates to the book value of direct investment, excluding oil, banking and insurance, in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand at the end of 1971, which was £195.9 million, £19.5 million and £11 million respectively. The figures were given in Table 35 of Business Monitor M4 Overseas Transactions 1972 Part II, a copy of which is in the Library. Similar information in respect of the end of 1974 for all members of the ASEAN Alliance is due to appear inTrade and Industry shortly.

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