37. Mr. Ioan Evansasked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the value and volume of trade with countries in Africa—north of the Zambezi—over the latest available 12-month period; and what are the prospects for the maintenance and improvement of this trade.
§ Mr. DeakinsVolume figures are not available. By value, exports were £655 million fob and imports £617 million cif in the year ended May 1974. Prospects of increasing trade with oil producing countries are good; but many of the others are hard hit by the higher costs of their essential imports. However, I am hopeful that our trade with the area as a whole will continue to grow.