HC Deb 24 May 1979 vol 967 cc222-3W
Mr. Field

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list the proportion of gross domestic product invested abroad by British-based firms; and if he will present similar data for each EEC member State, Japan and the United States of America, for 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960 and each subsequent year;

(2) if he will list the money value of overseas investment made by British firms in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960 and each subsequent year; and if he will present these data as a percentage of gross domestic product;

(3) if he will present in tabular form the money value of investment abroad by British-based firms; and if he will express this as a percentage of the total home investment by these firms in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960 and each subsequent year.

Mr. Parkinson

For purposes of international comparison, the only broadly comparable information available relates to United Kingdom direct investment abroad (excluding oil) and to United

Direct Investment Overseas by UK companies (1) Direct Investment Overseas by US companies as ratio of Gross National Product at current prices (2)
Value Ratio to gross National Product at current prices
£m per cent per cent
1960 250 1.1 N/A
1961 226 0.9 N/A
1962 209 0.8 N/A
1963 236 0.9 0.6
1964 263 0.9 0.6
1965 308 1.0 0.8
1966 276 0.8 0.7
1967 281 0.8 0.6
1968 410 1.1 0.6
1969 549 1.4 0.6
1970 546 1.2 0.8
1971 676 1.4 0.7
1972 737 1.3 0.7
1973 1,621 2.5 0.9
1974 1,575 2.1 0.6
1975 1,094 1.2 0.9
1976 2,108 1.9 0.7
1977 1,790 1.4 0.6
1978(p) 1,915 1.4 N/A
(1) Source: Department of Trade's Overseas Transactions Inquiry results of which published in Business Monitor, M4, Overseas Transactions.
(2) Derived from various issues of US Department of Commerce "Survey of Current Business".
(3) Provisional.