§ Mr. Gouldasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the volume of new export orders for mechanical enginering in the period June to August 1976 compared with 1970 and the best three months since 1970; what were the equivalent figures for orders in hand in August 1976; and what comparison can be made with German and Japanese developments from April 1976 onwards.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesFigures for net new export orders and orders on hand for mechanical engineering are given in the CSO's Monthly Digest of Statistics. The December 1976 edition (tables 84/85) gives monthly and quarterly information up to September 1976 and a quarterly series back to the beginning of 1970 can be obtained from the April 1975 edition. The OECD publication 485W "Main Economic Indicators" records new export orders in Japan and Germany. Differences in coverage make comparison difficult. Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons Library.