HC Deb 27 November 1979 vol 974 cc626-8W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the Official Report for each of the principal exporting countries, Canada and Sweden a table showing the growth in the volume of imports and exports of manufacturers since the Smithsonian agreement in each quarter, in the form of an index or otherwise and based on (a) trade in 1970 and (b) trade in 1975.

Mr. Parkinson

I have been asked to reply.

Provision of available information of this kind, particularly for two different base periods, could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost. Annual percentage changes of the volume of exports and imports of manufactures since 1971 as are readily available, mainly from current statistics are given in the following table.

VOLUME OF TRADE IN MANUFACTURES*
Percentage changes on previous year
United Kingdom† Federal Republic of Germany France‡ § United States of America‡ Japan Italy‡ § Canada‡ § Sweden‡ §
1970 base 1975 base 1970 base
EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURES
1971 … … … … +10 +10 +6 +3 +1 +21 +3 +5 +5
1972 … … … … +2 +1½ +9 +19 +9 +7½ +20 +8 +4
1973 … … … … +14 +14 +16 +10 +23 +5 +7 +12 +16
1974 … … … … +5 +5 +12 +16 +17 +18 +7 +1 +7
1975 … … … … -3 -3½ -11 -4 -4 +2½ +5 -5 -7
1976 … … … … +7½ +9 +14 +9 +4 +23 +15 +14 +2
1977 … … … … +8 +8½ +4 +7 -1 +9½ +8 +11 —
1978 … … … … n.a. +2 +4 +5 +7 +½ +13 +10 +5
IMPORTS OF MANUFACTURES
1971 … … … … +10 +10 +13 +11 -5
1972 … … … … +19 +18 +13 +15 +17
1973 … … … … +22 +21 +8 +4 +54
1974 … … … … +4½ +5½ -½ -2 +7½
1975 … … … … -7 -6½ +4 -14 -25
1976 … … … … +8½ +9½ +19 +25 +14
1977 … … … … +11 +10 +8½ +9 +1½
1978 … … … … n.a. +13 +7½ +19 +22
* SITC Sections 5 to 8. Except where stated, the weighting base of the statistics is not entirely certain.
† The main reasons for the differences between the 1975-based and 1970-based series are different weighting, classification changes and methodological improvements. The 1970-based series was not compiled after 1977.
‡ Based on indices rounded to nearest whole number; changes, therefore, also rounded to nearest whole number.
§ Import figures for France, Italy, Canada and Sweden are not readily available.
n.a.=Not available.
Sources: United Kingdom—Department of Trade.
Germany—Derived from Statistisches Bundesampt sources.
Japan—Summary Report Trade of Japan—Japan Tariff Association.
United States of America (imports)—OECD.
United States of America (exports) and other countries—United Nations Monthly Bulletin and Statistical Yearbook.