HC Deb 27 April 1989 vol 151 cc612-5W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in theOfficial Report his best estimate showing the value of output of finished manufactures in the United Kingdom for home consumption and export for the years (a) 1970, (b) 1979 and (c) 1988, together with the percentage estimates of (i) imported service manufactures and intermediate finished manufactures and (ii) imported basic materials.

Mr. Alan Clark

It is not possible to estimate a split between production for export and for the home market with any confidence because of lack of data on the very substantial entrepot trade. The closest available figures are as follows:

Gross output of finished manufactures
1985 prices
£ billion
1970 129.5
1979 144.5
1988 156.6

Imports of:
Semi-manufactures (SITC 5 + 6) Intermediate finished manufactures (part of SITC 7+8) £ billion 1985 prices Basic materials (SITC 2 + 4) OTS basis
1970 9.9 2.8 6.1
1979 17.8 7.0 6.0
1988 28.0 18.3 6.5

Proportion of United Kingdom exports finished1 manufactures going to United States of America Ratio of United Kingdom to United States of America export unit values of manufactures2
National currencies3 United States dollars4
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
1970 11.3 100 100
1971 11.4 103 105
1972 12.7 106 111
1973 12.8 109 112
1974 11.6 113 110
1975 9.9 121 111
1976 10.5 135 102
1977 9.4 152 111
1978 10.7 157 126
1979 10.7 148 131
1980 10.9 150 145
1981 11.4 143 120
1982 11.3 144 105
1983 12.8 155 98
1984 16.1 165 92
1985 18.2 172 93
1986 17.7 173 106
1987 17.4 176 120
1988 15.2 5176 5130
1 Standard International Trade Classification (STIC), Rev 2 Sections 7 and 8
2 SITC. Rev 2, Sections 5 to 8
3 United Kingdom index in sterling compared with United States of America index in United States dollars
4 United Kingdom and United States of America indices both in United States dollars
5 First three quarters only

Sources: United Nations, Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in theOfficial Report his best estimate of the number of cars assembled in the United Kingdom from imported components in 1970, 1979 and 1988 which would not qualify for free movement within the European Economic Community if the imported components were not of European Economic Community origin.

Mr. Alan Clark

None. Under European Community rules, cars are regarded as having EC origin notwithstanding the origin of imported components provided that the last substantial manufacturing process is undertaken within the Community. All cars assembled in the United Kingdom since our accession to the Community in 1973 have qualified for free circulation on that basis.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in theOfficial Report his best estimate of the value and proportion of

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1970 (a) the proportion of United Kingdom exports of finished manufactures sent to the United States of America and, (b) the ratio of United Kingdom to United States of America export unit values for manufactures, based on 1970 equals 100.

Mr. Alan Clark

The available information is in the table. The relationship between the export unit values has been derived both in common currency, the US dollar, and in national currency terms.

United Kingdom exports of manufactures which have been (a) assembled in the United Kingdom from imported components and (b) imported for re-export in the same state, in the years 1970, 1979 and 1988.

Mr. Alan Clark

Information on which to base the required estimates is not available.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in theOffical Report a table showing production, imports and exports of intermediate finished manufacturers, as defined in the monthly review of external trade statistics for the years 1970, 1979 and 1988 in terms of current prices, 1988 prices and as a percentage of United Kingdom production of finished manufactures in each year.

Mr. Alan Clark

Figures for production of intermediate finished manufactures comparable with the trade statistics as defined in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" are not available. The remainder of the figures requested are as follows:

Imports of intermediate finished manufacturers (£ billion) Imports1
Current prices 1988 prices
1970 0.7 2.8 2.2
1979 4.9 6.9 4.8
1988 17.9 17.9 11.7
1 Intermediate finished manufactures as per cent. of production of finished manufactures.

Exports of intermediate finished manufacturers (£ billion) Exports1
Current prices 1988 prices
1970 1.5 8.5 5.9
1979 7.3 13.0 8.0
1988 16.0 16.0 9.1
1 Intermediate finished manufactures as per cent. of production of finished manufactures.

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