§ Mr. Strawasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the replies to the hon. Member 163W for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Osborn) Official Report, 15 April 1981, c. 199, and to the hon. Member for Blackburn, Official Report, 21 May 1981, c. 178, if he will publish in the Official Report a table giving the best estimate of rate payments by manufacturing industry, in £s million and as a proportion of manufacturing costs, excluding rates and taxes, for each year from 1978 to date.
§ Mr. KingThe available information is as follows:
Rates Paid by Manufacturing Industry 1978–79, United Kingdom 1978 1979 Rate payments £ million 825 925 Rate payments as a proportion of manufacturing costs (exclusive of rates and taxes) 0.68 per cent. 0.66 per cent.
Current weighted unit value indices January 1982 1975 = 100 Not seasonally adjusted OTS basis SITC (R2) Exports Imports Manufactures 5–8 206.0 173.0 of which: Semi-manufactures 5–6 193.4 168.5 Finished manufactures 7–8 214.5 176.2