§ Mr. Woollamasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can yet publish the 1957 quarterly figures for capital expenditure by the shipping industry.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe figures will be published later in the year.
It is provisionally estimated that the capital expenditure of the shipping industry in the four quarters of 1957 was £22 million, £35 million, £40 million and £53 million respectively. These amounts represent changes in expenditure over the corresponding quarters of 1956 of -25 per cent., +28 per cent., +90 per cent., and +60 per cent. respectively, and an increase of 36 per cent. during 1957 as a whole compared with 1956.