§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing each of the Department's forecasts since 1 January 1976 for the percentage increase in imports and exports in terms of constant prices, together with the actual outcome.
§ Mr. LawsonThe information requested is set out in the table below. It should be noted that forecasts made prior to November 1978 were at constant 1970 prices. Recorded outcomes on this basis are available only up to 1978 Q1 and will exclude subsequent data revisions.
689W
FORECASTS AND OUTTURNS FOR EXPORTS AND IMPORTS AT CONSTANT PRICES Base year percentage changes on a year previous Exports of goods and services at constant prices 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 Forecast publication FSBR April 1976 … … 1970 3½ 9½ 9 — — — — — — — EPR January 1977 … … 1970 — 8 — 8½ — — — — — — FSBR March 1977 … … 1970 — — 8 5½ 5½ — — — — — EPR November 1977 … … 1970 — — — 7½ 7½ 6 — — — — FSBR April 1977 … … 1970 — — — 5 3½ 3½ 5½ — — — EPR November 1978 … … 1975 — — — — 3 3½ 7 5½ — — FSBR June 1979 … … … 1975 — — — — — — —1 ½ 5½ — EPR December 1979 … … 1975 — — — — — — — 3 3½ —3½ Recorded outturns (a) at 1970 constant prices … … … 5 10 7½ 6½ — — — — — — (b) at 1975 constant prices … … … — — — — 2½ 2½ 1 — — — 690W
Imports of goods and services at constant prices 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 Forecast publication FSBR April 1976 … … 1970 0 2½ 2½ — — — — — — — EPR January 1977 … … 1970 — 8 — 1½ — — — — — — FSBR March 1977 … … 1970 — — 8½ 2 2 — — — — — EPR November 1977 … … 1970 — — — 2½ 5 11 — — — — FSBR April 1978 … … 1970 — — — 0 4½ 10½ 8 — — — EBR November 1978 … … 1975 — — — — 3 11 7 6½ — — FSBR January 1979 … … 1975 — — — — — — 4½ 4 1 — EPR December 1979 … … 1975 — — — — — — — 11 —2 —3 Recorded outturns (a) at 1970 constant prices … … … 2½ 5 8 1 — — — — — — (b) at 1975 constant prices … … … — — — — 1½ 6½ 10 — — —