§ 34. Mrs. Jane KennedyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was(a) the deficit in trade in goods in 1995 and (b) the total deficit in trade in goods for those months of 1996 for which figures are available. [15057]
§ Mr. LangThe deficit in trade in goods in 1995 was £11.6 billion. In the first 11 months of 1996, the deficit was £11.7 billion. Overall, the balance of payments current account is close to balance and at its strongest for a decade.