HC Deb 05 February 1973 vol 850 cc6-7W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will identfy the draft regulation issued by the Commission covering insurance designed to harmonise the rules within the nine members of the Community; and what is the policy of the Government thereon, with particular relation to its application to all insurance companies.

Sir G. Howe

There are two directives in the course of preparation which, with some minor exceptions, would apply to all insurance companies engaged in direct insurance other than life. The first is designed to harmonise the rules under which an insurer may establish a branch in another Community country, and the second to eliminate existing national discrimination. The Government support this move towards liberalisation, and discussions are continuing in Brussels on amendments to meet the particular needs of the new members.

INVESTMENT BY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
£ million
Current prices, not seasonally adjusted
1970 1971 1st quarter 1972 2nd quarter 3rd quarter
Total 2,133 2,169 515 487 565
Food, drink and tobacco 270 302 78 85 95
Coal and petroleum product 86 134 34 32 31
Chemicals 381 362 80 77 68
Metal manufacturing 267 337 102 68 65
Engineering, shipbuilding and metal goods 425 402 89 90 101
Vehicles 223 165 28 28 32
Textiles, leather and clothing 156 140 27 30 31
Paper, printing and publishing 130 106 23 26 27
Other manufacturing 195 222 55 53 56
£ million
1963 prices, seasonally adjusted
1970 1971 1st quarter 1972 2nd quarter 3rd quarter
Total 1,629 1,511 367 330 326
Food, drink and tobacco 208 213 55 55 60
Coal and petroleum products 63 89 26 21 19
Chemicals 280 243 56 51 47
Metal manufacturing 205 234 70 45 37
Engineering, shipbuilding and metal goods 330 287 64 64 69
Vehicles 174 119 23 19 20
Textiles, leather and clothing 119 98 18 21 20
Paper, printing and publishing 102 75 16 18 19
Other manufacturing 148 154 40 37 35

Additional quarterly data are shown in "Trade and Industry" of 11th January, deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Analyses of total investment, for the economy as a whole, by industry groups and by public and private sectors, are shown in Table 7 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics which is also in the Library.