HC Deb 01 July 1980 vol 987 cc525-6W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many questionnaires requesting information from firms with up to a £1 million turnover have been discontinued since 3 May 1979 and how many new ones introduced; and how many different ones are sent out at present.

Mr. Peter Rees

[pursuant to his reply, 16 June 1980, c. 380]: The majority of

Percentage Changes
1977/1976 1978/1977 1979/1978 1979/1976
Machinery*
Import unit value index … … … +13 + 6½ —½ +19
Export unit value index … … … +19 +12 + 7½ +44
Wholesale price index … … … +16 +12 +12 +45
Metal Manufacturers†
Import unit value index … … … + 4 —½ + 3 + 7
Export unit value index … … … +13 +15 + 5 +36
Wholesale price index … … … +18 +8 +13 +44
Chemicalst‡
Import unit value index … … … +20 +2½ +12 +38
Export unit value index … … … +13 + 1½ +14 +31
Wholesale price index … … … +16 + 8 +15 +44
Notes:
* Machinery: SITC (Rev 2) Divisions 71–77
Wholesale price Index for 'Mechanical Engineering'—SIC Order VII (excluding MLH 342)
‡ Metal Manufacturers: SITC (Rev 2) Division 69
Wholesale price index for 'Metal Manufacturing'—SIC Order VI
‡ Chemicals: SITC (Rev 2) Section 5
Wholesale price index for 'Chemicals and Allied Industries'—SIC Order V

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the European Economic Community Six and for the rest of the world the value and volume based on 1975 of imports and exports of machinery broken down into consumer, intermediate and capital goods in 1969,1970,1979 and 1980 to date;

forms sent out by the Inland Revenue relate to returns issued under its statutory powers; and in this respect no distinction is made between firms with less than £1 million turnover and others. A questionnaire asking a few companies to contribute voluntarily statistical information about their quarterly profits was also issued before 3 May 1979 and is still being issued.

As regards Customs and Excise, information could only be given at the cost of disproportionate time and effort.

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