HC Deb 15 March 1983 vol 39 cc77-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each standard international trade classification section and division for manufactures the weighted average common external tariff used for the purposes of the Kennedy round at the most recent date and any such information he has on the incidence of the common external tariff on United Kingdom imports of manufactures.

Mr. Sproat

Very limited information on the level of the common external tariff of the European Community before the Kennedy round reductions is shown in "The Kennedy Round of Trade Negotiations 1964–67" Cmnd. 3347 (1968) paragraph 13. However, estimates were made by UNCTAD at standard international trade classification section level and to some extent at division level. These are published in "The Kennedy Round estimated effects on tariff barriers" UN (1968) table A2. The recent overall weighted average for manufactures is given in "The Multilateral Trade Negotiations 1973–79" Cmnd. 7724 (1979) paragraph 15.

Weighted averages of tariffs on United Kingdom imports of manufactures at SITC section and division level in 1980, the latest year for which complete information is available, are as follows. Information on United Kingdom duties paid for earlier years, in less detail, is shown in the annual reports of the Customs and Excise.

SITC (R2) Weighted average tariff*
per cent.
Division 51 12.9
52 8.1
53 10.1
54 9.3
55 10.2
56 7.1
57 10.4
58 14.7
59 8.3
Section 5 11.4
Division 61 6.5
62 7.4
63 8.7
64 8.1
65 13.7
66 10.4

SITC (R2) Weighted average tariff*
per cent.
67 6.6
68 6.1
69 7.3
Section 6 9.2
Division 71 6.4
72 6.2
73 5.9
74 6.1
75 7.0
76 10.8
77 10.1
78 9.7
79 4.5
Section 7 8.4
Division 81 7.7
82 7.7
83 7.8
84 16.7
85 11.4
87 10.7
88 10.2
89 10.0
Section 8 12.4
* Note: these are calculated by dividing the duty levied by the value of the dutiable imports.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage increase in the volume of imports of finished and semi-finished manufactures since the second quarter of 1979 on the basis of 1975 and of current weights;

(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the volume of imports and exports of finished manufactures and semi-finished manufactures in January on a current-weighted basis.

Mr. Sproat

The information is as follows:

Current Weighted Volume Indices—January 1983
1975 = 100 OTS basis (SA)
SITC (R2) Exports Imports
Semi manufactured goods 5+6 107.2 146.0
Finished manufactured goods 7+8 88.0 191.7

Percentage Changes in Volume Indices Q4—1982/Q2—1979
SITC (R2) Current weighted imports 1975 weighted imports
Semi manufactured goods 5+6 -12 -8½
Finished manufactured goods 7+8 +6½ +16

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the volume of imports and exports of (i) manufactures and (ii) finished manufactures, in each quarter since May 1979, as a percentage of 1975 using current weights.

Mr. Sproat

The information is as follows:

Manufactured Goods
Current Weighted Volume Index Numbers (SA)
Total Manufacutred Goods OTS Basis Finished Manufactured Goods
SITC (R2) 5-8 7+8
Exports Imports Exports Imports
1979
Q2 122.7 152.9 110.0 163.2
Q3 114.0 148.0 105.9 160.8
Q4 116.7 150.2 104.1 164.6
1980
Q1 119.6 152.1 109.0 168.5
Q2 116.1 154.4 108.1 163.8
Q3 110.3 133.9 103.8 146.3
Q4 109.1 129.3 103.0 143.4
1981
Q1 103.6 126.7 96.0 137.5
Q2 102.8 134.9 95.6 155.5
Q3 105.2 153.4 99.8 175.9
Q4 110.0 147.1 107.2 167.7
1982
Q1 107.3 148.8 101.2 166.8
Q2 108.9 159.4 103.8 182.5
Q3 104.5 148.9 96.9 172.2
Q4 106.4 151.4 100.9 174.2