§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for Trade what is now the current level by volume, value and constant value of exports and imports; and what is his estimate of the trend in the coming year.
§ Mr. DeakinsInformation relating to the current level of United Kingdom exports and imports may be obtained from a Press notice, reference number 294, released by my Department on 24th October 1975, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I am not prepared to make an estimate of the trend in our trade over the coming year, but clearly the timing and speed of the recovery in world economic conditions will have a major impact on our own position.
§ Mr. Fernyhoughasked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the imbalance in trade in respect of United Kingdom exports to the EEC and United Kingdom imports from the EEC for the first nine months of 1975; and how these figures compare with the same period during 1974.
§ Mr. DeakinsFigures of the crude trade balance—i.e., the difference between imports c.i.f. and exports f.o.b.—for the first nine months of 1974 and 1975 can be obtained from tables II and V of the September 1974 and 1975 issues of the monthly Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.