HC Deb 26 July 1982 vol 28 cc397-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information in his written reply dated 12 December 1979, Official Report, c. 661, concerning production and exports in the clothing industry.

Mr. McGregor

The volume of production, as measured by the index of production, of the United Kingdom made-up clothing industry (Order XV, excluding footwear, of the standard industrial classification (1968)) was:

Table 1—Index of Production of the Clothing Industry (1975=100)
Year
1952 72.1
1960 81.1
1967 82.1
1972 94.1
1978 106.4
1979 109.6
1980 95.8
1981 87.1
*†1982 86.8
* 1st quarter.
Seasonally adjusted.

The value of the sales of the industry was estimated as:

Table 2—Value of Sales by the Clothing Industry
£million
1952 523
1960 654
1967 747
1972 1,123
1978 2,547
1979 3,042
1980 3,058
1981 2,930
*†1982 740
* 1st Quarter.
Not seasonally adjusted.

Source:

1972, 1978, 1979: Annual Census of Production.

Other years—estimates based on Annual Censuses of Production and Business Monitors PQ series.

The volume and value of exports of clothing, including hosiery and knitted clothing, were:

Table 3Value of Exports of Clothing*
£ million
1960 1967 1972 1978 1979 1980 1982†‡
United Kingdom 33.6 64.3 144.4 670.0 751.2 807.6 186.6
Germany (FR) 35.8 91.7 262.4 1,095.4 1,220.3 1,238.9
France 60.9 99.1 316.3 893.0 946.0 986.1
Italy 58.5 182.9 488.5 1,723.5 2,051.8 1,970.5
USA 34.5 65.6 99.7 352.6 451.5 524.0
Japan 78.8 121.7 171.6 249.5 162.1 209.8
Notes:
* Standard International Trade Classification (Revised 2) Division 84.
† 1st Quarter.
‡ Not seasonally adjusted.

Source:

United Kingdom—Overseas Trade Statistics.

Other countries—OECD series 'C' except for Japan in 1960—UN Commodity Trade Statistics. Sterling figures for countries other than the United Kingdom converted from dollars at annual average exchange rates.

Table 4Volume of Exports of Clothing*
'000 tonnes
1960 1967 1972 1978 1979 1980
United Kingdom 53.8 54.0 55.8
Germany (FR) 9.3 19.8 42.6 59.8 64.8 69.8
France 19.4 15.8 39.3 45.9 48.2 52.0
Italy 13.4 41.5 85.5 139.1 160.4 149.2
Japan 61.8 63.2 33.0 20.3 26.6
Notes:
* Standard International Trade Classification (Revised 2) Devision 84.
† Not available.

Source:

OECD series 'C', except for Japan in 1960—UN Commodity Trade Statistics.