§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the volume increase year-on-year of, respectively, exports and imports, for each month since January 1970.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe available information is as follows:
579W
VOLUME OF UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS—(Balance of Payments basis) Percentage increase on previous year Year Month 1970(1) 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 January … +13 -7 +94½ +14 -4 +8 +5½ +10 -4 -½ +19 February … -8 +15 +11 +12 -5 +4½ +9½ +11 -22 March … +9 -8½ +9 +16 -2 +6½ +6 +4½ -3½ April … +4½ +7½ -7½ +18 +10 -14 +19 +6 +6½ +14 May … +12 -1½ +7½ +14 -1½ +4½ +4½ +3½ +13 June … +11 -1 +9 +8½ -10 +16 +10 -0 +8 July … -5 +5½ -3 +16 +10 -7 +7 +16 -1 +7 August … +43 -39 +83 +7 -9½ +17 +9½ -0 +5 September … +6 -1 +14 +8 -9½ +14 +13 -2½ +6 October … +6 +1 +15 -1 +4½ +2½ +7½ +3½ +4 +1½ November … -2 +17 +6 -2 -½ +11 +3 +6 +9 December … +3 +5 +7½ +3+ +2½ +8½ +3 +4 -6 Notes:
(1) Quarterly percentage changes only available for 1970
(2) It has not yet been possible to compute, rigorously, monthly indices prior to 1978 in line with the recently revised annual series Corresponding figures given above have, therefore, been estimated; any inaccuracies are, however, likely to be very small
VOLUME UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS—(Balance of Payments basis) Percentage increase on previous year Year Month 1970(1) 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 January … +2 +3½ +10 +16 +2 +3½ -7 +15 -3½ -6 +22 February … +8½ +11 +10 +8 -7 -1½ +3½ +5½ +5½ March … +12 +24 +19 +0 -13 +4½ +8½ +10 +9 April … +7½ +7½ +11 +1½ +11 -1½ +8 +4½ -2 +25 May … -0 +13 +20 -2 -14 +14 +1½ +1 +17 June … +4½ +7 +14 +6 -14 +13 +7 -4½ +13 July … +5 +28 - ½ +31 +6 -6½ +4 -0 +4 +10 August … -10 -5 +44 -3 -3½ +2½ -1½ +6½ +17 September … +½ +25 +½ +½ -12 +12 -1 +9 +7½ October … +9½ +2 +24 +10 -9 -6 +6 -3½ +6½ +18 November … -1 +26 +4½ -½ -12 +13 -13 +19 +9½ December … +6 +12 +11 -5 -6 +5 +3 +4 +15 See notes to previous table (exports)
580W