§ 16. Mr. McAddenasked the President of the Board of Trade what negotiations he has had with the French Government in connection with the new import compensation tax levied by France as from 18th March, 1957; and if he will make a statement.
INDEX NUMBERS OF THE VOLUME OF UNITED KINGDOM TRADE WITH CERTAIN AREAS (1948 = 100) Imports from United Kingdom exports to —— Sterling Area Dollar Area Non-sterling O.E.E.C. (excluding dependencies) Sterling Area Dollar Area Non-sterling O.E.E.C. (excluding dependencies) 1952 … 125 94 153 124 139 127 1953 … 140 97 158 127 164 141 1954 … 138 98 169 138 155 150 1955 … 141 127 193 147 170 155 1956 … 137 126 196 144 216 167 NOTE: The area index numbers of United Kingdom external trade for 1948–50 were originally derived by valuing the trade at prices of the base year 1947, those for 1951–54 by valuing trade at 1950 prices and those for 1955 and 1956 by valuing trade at 1954 prices. These index numbers were then linked together and in the table above those for 1952–56 are expressed with 1948=100. The figures will not therefore always be consistent with the current series of index numbers of the volume of total United Kingdom external trade which are computed for all periods from 1947 onwards by valuing trade at 1954 prices. In particular the change in the volume of exports between 1950 and 1954 differs according to whether it is measured by the index computed on the 1954 or the 1950 base. (See Board of Trade Journal, 10th December, 1955.)
134W
§ Sir D. EcclesNone. The French Government have undertaken to submit a full report to the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation. Before making a statement I must study this report.