§ 4. Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the balance of payments figures for each of the last five months, excluding British-produced oil figures and assuming a level of oil imports equivalent to 1976 levels.
§ Mr. Meacher :The figures are:
ESTIMATES OF "OIL-ADJUSTED" VISIBLE BALANCE (BOP BASIS)* £ million, 1977 Seasonally adjusted May —369 June —497 July —414 August —78 September —96 *NOTE. The estimates have been derived as follows:
Published visible balance for total trade
less published exports of crude oil.
plus published imports of crude oil.
less estimated imports of crude oil—estimated as average 1976 level at average value in month in question.