§ Mr. Jesselasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report the values derived from the Annual Abstract of Statistics, on a cost/insurance/freight basis, the cost of drugs imported in 1965 and 1975; and what he expects the values to be over the next two years on projected trends assuming present rates of exchange.
§ Mr. DeakinsNo; this information is readily available from published sources. Imports during 1965 are shown against SITC (R) Division 54 in Table 291 of the Annual Abstract of Statistics 1974 and for year 1975 in Table II of the December issue of the monthly Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
The outlook for the next two years depends on a number of uncertain factors and I prefer not to venture an estimate.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give an assurance that no money has been paid or will be paid by the ECGD to insured exporters in respect of military equipment for Chile.
§ Mr. Shore,pursuant to his reply[Official Report, 6th April 1976; Vol. 909, c. 156] gave the following information:
No. ECGD's guarantees involve the Department in legally binding obligations 309W and are designed to protect British exporters against loss and damage. As to the general question of the control of arms supply to Chile, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 21st May 1975.