§ Ms Janet AndersonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish details of international telephone charges from the United Kingdom; what information he has on equivalent charges from other EC countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinBoth BT and Mercury Communications are obliged to make their telephone call charges available. I refer the hon. Member to their published tariffs, which are available from these companies' major offices.
International comparisons are complex, since the basis on which calls are defined can differ from country to country. The following table sets out the price inclusive of VAT in ECUs, of a peak rate, three-minute international telephone call between EC member states.
Motor vehicle parts (Standard Industrial Classification 1980 Activity Heading 3530) £ million Exports(FOB) Imports(CIF) 1992 3,460 4,654 1991 3,365 4,024 1990 3,105 4,077 1989 2,820 3,697 1988 2,476 3,052 Source: HM Customs and Excise.
403WIt is recognised that not all parts used by the motor industry are assigned to the motor vehicle parts industry (Activity Heading 3530) as officially defined. As a result, the trade values assigned to the motor vehicle parts industry are understated.