HC Deb 14 April 1970 vol 799 cc200-1W
43. Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish figures showing the deficits on the balance of payments and the means of financing them for each of the years 1964 to 1969, respectively, on the same basis as table 7 in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1969–70.

Mr. Taverne

No.

Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the publication of a joint monthly publication with the Board of Trade to replace both the monthly trade figures Press release and the monthly economic assessment so that short-term economic changes may be related to longer-term changes and to different components of the balance of payments accounts.

Mr. William Rodgers

No. The purpose of the monthly economic assessment is to give an appraisal of recent developments in the economy as a whole, including the balance of payments. It would not be appropriate to combine this general review with the separate Press releases covering one sector of the regular statistics.

Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he now expects to be able to announce the remaining results of the general review on the presentation of the balance of payments; and whether the further material promised previously is ready for publication.

Mr. Taverne

Further material resulting from this review has been published in Economic Trends (March, 1970, page xvii). I hope the hon. Member and others will have found useful the suggested rearrangement of the capital account for 1969. We aim to improve continuously the calculation and presentation of the balance of payments.