The Earl of DUDLEYasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the import figures for the first half of 1978, published on 15th and 16th November by the Department of Trade and the Treasury respectively, differ by £2,104 million, and which is the correct figure.
§ Baroness STEDMANI assume that the noble Earl is referring to figures included in the joint Department of Trade/Central Statistical Office Press notice on the current account of the United 1287WA Kingdom balance of payments for October, published on 14th November, and in the Treasury's Economic Progress Report Supplement entitled The economic situation and prospects for 1979, published on 15th November. In the Press notice, Table 1 gives a figure of £17,954 million for the value of imports of goods, at current prices and seasonally adjusted, in the first half of the year. In the Treasury document, the figure of £15,850 million for imports, for the same period, given in Table 2, relates to goods and services, at constant 1975 prices and seasonally adjusted. The figures are not, therefore, comparable. The basis of both sets of figures is indicated in the Tables.