§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the volume increase in exports and imports of manufactured goods in 1976 over 1975, 1977 over 1976, 1978 over 1977 and the latest four months for which figures are available over the comparable four months of the previous year.
§ Mr. ParkinsonFollowing is the information:
VOLUME OF UNTIED KINGDOM TRADE IN MANUFACTURED GOODS (Percentage change on a year earlier) Exports Imports 1976 +9 +9½ 1977 +8½ +10 1978 +2 +13 January-April 1979 -7 +11 Manufactured goods are defined as Sections 5–8 of SITC (Rev. 2).
Note: The trade figures for the first four months of 1979 have been distorted by disruptions to the flow of information on which they are based and by the effect of the road haulage dispute. The distortions have reduced both exports and imports over this period; thus, the percentage changes given above for the January-April period are lower than what they otherwise would have been. Details of the distortions were given in the press notice on the overseas trade figures for May, issued on 19 June.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the ratio of the increase in manufactured export prices over the period 1952 to 1978 to the corresponding increase in domestic wholesale prices for each of the eight largest manufacturing countries.
591W
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information requested is given for the latest period for which full information is available. However, as methods of defining and calculating export unit value and wholesale price indices differ within and
COMPARISONS OF MANUFACTURED EXPORT UNIT VALUE AND WHOLESALE PRICE INDICES Country UVI 1978*/UVI 195§ WPI 1978†/WPI 195§ (a)/(b) (a) (b) Belgium/Luxembourg‡ … … 1.40 1.76§ 0.80§ France … … … … 3.29 2.74 1.20 Germany … … … … 1.35 1.62 0.83 Italy‡ … … … … 2.51 3.54 0.71 Japan‡ … … … … 1.32 1.92 0.69 Netherlands≑ … … … 1.60 2.02 0.79 United Kingdom … … … 4.32 4.27 1.01 United States‡ … … … 2.59 2.19 1.18 * Export unit values for manufactured goods. † Wholesale price indices are subject to variable coverage. ‡ 1952 to 1977. § Wholesale price index for Belgium alone. ≑ 1953 to 1977. Sources: United Kingdom—Department of Trade estimates. Other countries—IMF International Financial Statistics May 1977, May 1978, June 1979. United Nations Statistical Yearbook 1962. United Nations Monthly Bulletin March 1978.