HC Deb 30 July 1965 vol 717 c188W
Mr. Hamling

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in future, he will arrange for the publication of the monthly balance of trade figures to be published only on a full balance of payments basis.

Mr. Redhead

The only figures of the trade balance officially published are on a balance of payments basis. The crude balance obtained as the difference between the value of exports and re-exports (f.o.b.) and that of imports (c.i.f.) is misleading in that the import valuation includes insurance and freight which, in so far as they are paid abroad, are included in the invisibles account in the balance of payments.