§ Mr. Maurice Macmillanasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the reason for, and the effect of, the revised seasonal adjustment programme for export figures referred to in recent copies of The Monthly Digest of Statistics.
§ Mr. DellThe adjustments for the varying number of working days in each month have been slightly modified to reflect changes in working arrangements in the ports. The new adjustments reduce a little the month to month fluctuations in the series.
§ Mr. Maurice Macmillanasked the President of the Board of Trade what the figures for exports of goods and services and imports of goods and services represent in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1969–70; whether he will give 1969 estimates of imports of goods, free on board, and exports plus re-exports of goods, free on board, less United States military aircraft, at 1958 and current prices; and whether he will now express these export figures as a percentage of the import figures.
§ Mr. DellThe figures are on the normal basis used in official statistics as described, for example, on pages 441 to 444 of "National Accounts Statistics—Sources and Methods". As I have already said in answer to a previous Question by the hon. Member on 29th April, 1969, I do not wish to add to the published forecasts.—[Vol. 782, c. 202.]