HC Deb 08 April 1982 vol 21 c487W
Mr. Myles

asked the Minister for Trade if he is satisfied with the extent of the recent reduction in the Japanese trade tariff on whisky.

Mr. Peter Rees

No. It was only a small step in the right direction. We shall be pressing for further reductions.

Current Weighted Volume Indices (OTS Basis)
Percentage increases 1981 Q4/1975
Product SITC(R2) Exports Imports
Plastics 58 +67 +137
Textiles 65 -4 +54
Iron and Steel 67 +14 -4½
Mechanical Engineering 71–74 less 716 + 1 +37
Clothing 84 +78 +60
Footwear 85 +5½ +86
Consumer Goods 7–8 less SNA pt +12 +97
of which: Machinery 71—77 pt -28 +105
Passenger motor cars 781 -11 +140
Miscellaneous 8 pt +44 +79
Intermediate Goods 7–8 less SNA pt +18 +87
of which: Machinery 71–77 pt +17 +74
Miscellaneous 8 pt +27 +114
Capital Goods 7–8 less SNA pt +3 +63
of which: Machinery 71–77 pt +1½ +66
Miscellaneous 8 pt +41 +57
Finished Manufactures 7–8 +11 +70

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of the months since 1951 in which the seasonally adjusted value figures for imports of manufactures have exceeded exports.

Mr. Peter Rees

Data are available only in respect of this series with effect from 1958. Since then there have been only four months in which United Kingdom imports of manufactures have exceeded exports; February and March 1979, when trade was affected by the road haulage dispute; April 1980, when the steel strike affected trade flows; and September 1981 when the deficit was only £2 million.

Trade in Manufactured Goods
£ million
Seasonally adjusted OTS BASIS
Exports Imports Balance
1979
February 1,866 2,177 -311
March 2,359 2,549 -190
1980
April 2,891 2,953 -62
1981
September 2,971 2,973 -2

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